Heal
by Nalyx
Summary: ATTENTION: this story is going to be continued by TheSnowAngel. i have no inspiration for this story anymore, so my girlfriend is going to keep it alive.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: this story was inspired by Vithian. Thank you for the idea :) hope you enjoy XD**

The rain pounded down onto me. I hugged my knees, staring at the tombstone. It had been so many years since I had sat here and looked at his tombstone. The memories of our lives together ran through my head and the tears that the rain was disguising ran down my face.

"I'm sorry I haven't visit in a while," I said, my hands running down the dirty tombstone, "I didn't really want to come back, but it's our anniversary so I thought it would be fitting to come see you."

I would give anything to be able to hold him again, to kiss him. The day he died was horrible. It wasn't even by natural causes. He wasn't even in his 30's. He wasn't the only one either. Zexion, Demyx, Xigbar and Larxene died as well, but not me. Of course not me. I was cursed with living forever. Just my luck.

"Roxas?" someone called. I looked up to see my brother and his boyfriend. Shit! I didn't want to see them. Why were they here!?

"Sora," I said, standing up and dusting off my pants. He really did look different from the last time I saw him. His hair was longer and lighter and his boyish face had matured into a handsome man's face. It was pretty much my face only on his body.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. He didn't sound happy. I didn't blame him. I left without a word and hadn't contacted him in years.

"Decided to visit," I said, my hair and clothes were soaked with water.

"Oh so NOW you decide to visit. After years," he said, coldly. I deserved this. I really did. I was probably the worst brother you could ask for.

"...I'm sorry," I said. That's all I could say.

"You're sorry? Sorry doesn't make up for years of absence! I thought you had died or something!" he shouted.

"Hun calm down," Riku said, placing his hands on Sora's shoulders. Sora immediately shrugged them off.

"I will NOT calm down! That's the last thing I'll do!" he shouted, running away seconds later. I just stared at the ground and waited for Riku to yell at me or hit me or something!

"He's upset," Riku said.

"I can tell," I replied.

"Where have you been?"

"Around."

"That doesn't specify."

"I know."

"You don't want to tell me?"

"I don't want to tell anyone."

"...fine I understand."

"How is Sora?"

"He's good. He might not look like the same Sora, but he definitely is. He's a bit more mature now though."

"I can tell and he has quite a temper."

"Yeah I don't know when that developed."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For leaving without a word and then not saying anything."

"It's alright. I knew you must've had a good reason. Why did you leave?"

"I guess you can say that I wanted to escape."

"From?"

"From the memories."

"I see."

We stood there for a while in silence. The more I stood there, the more I wanted to die. Standing next to everyone's graves was horrible and it made me want to fall to my knees and cry hysterically, but I knew I couldn't. Not with Riku here.

"I better go get Sora," Riku said, "It was good to see you again Roxas."

"Yeah, good to see you too Riku," I replied. He walked away and once he did I fell to my knees and cried. I couldn't live like this. This was a fate worse than death. All my friends were gone and the love of my life was gone as well. What was left living for? My brother hated me, my mother never talked to me, Riku was well Riku and everyone that I had loved died.

"I don't know what to do Axel. Tell me what to do," I said, wiping away the tears. More tears just replaced them, "I want to die, but I can't. Tell me what to do with myself!"

Of course I didn't get an answer. I couldn't stay here anymore. I got up and ran to the place that I thought I wouldn't go to ever again. I went to Axel's house.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

When I climbed into Axel's bedroom, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. His room was completely empty. Nothing was left. The walls were painted white and the carpet was now wooden floors. It was as if his parents had erased any trace of their son from their house. It made me sick to my stomach. The only thing that was left of Axel was his scent. I could still smell the sweet smell of cinnamon hanging in the air.

It didn't help at all. The more I inhaled the scent, the more I wanted to fall down and die. I walked around the bedroom, observing the changes. Some things weren't changed or thrown out. When I looked behind the book shelf, I found the drawing of a heart with mine and Axel's initials in it. I smiled when I remembered the memory, but the smiled disappeared once I noticed that a break had been drawn in the middle of the heart.

Salty tears threatened to escape my eyes. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I let them fall and seconds later I fell to my knees. I just wanted to die! The pain in my heart was so intense and it made me beg for death. I could only imagine how Axel would act if he knew I desired death.

"Roxas?" a voice called from behind. I looked up and jumped. As if this day couldn't get any worse. I was staring at the worst possible person to be staring at. I had only met him once and that was at Axel's...funeral.

"H-Hi Reno," I said, standing up and wiping my tears away. Reno was Axel's older brother. Of course I didn't know Reno existed until a couple of years ago. He was a nice guy. He reminded me of Axel; he even looked like him. The only difference was that Reno didn't have the triangle birthmarks under his eyes and his hair was not styled the same way.

"I think I already know the answer to this question but why are here?" he asked, leaning against the door framing and crossing his arms. Oh god. Axel use to do that same exact stance.

"I..." I couldn't really say anything. He already knew why I was there and I wasn't about to break down in front of him. I knew if I said those words then I would definitely start crying.

"I understand. If you're looking for his stuff, try the attic. There are tons of photo albums up there and I think his diary is there too. Yes Axel had a diary. Read it all the time."

He laughed and left without another word. Being very curious, I headed to the attic. I could tell that Reno had told his parents that I was here. They greeted me before I went up to the attic and told me to stay here as long as I liked.

I smiled when I looked around the large room. Everything that had once been in Axel's room was here. I strolled over to the book case and took out the first photo album I saw. I flipped through the pictures, smiling at the pictures of me and Axel at prom. I remember Axel wanting me to go to prom in a dress and he knew I would say no. Before he could even form the words I said no.

After looking through a dozen photo albums, I came across Axel's diary. It wasn't that hard to figure out it was his diary since it was red and said AXEL'S DIARY on it. I flipped open the book and began to read.

_**Entry #1**_

_**Yesterday I did something crazy. I pinned my best friend to a wall and kissed him ^^" way to go Ax. Although it worked out in the end. We're a couple ;D yep life is good :) aaaanyway I learned a couple of things about Roxas that I never learned before. Like the fact that he was raped and didn't tell anyone -_- fail Roxas. Next time I see Marluxia I'm kicking his ass! :(**_

I couldn't help but laugh at the first entry. It felt like centuries since that day. I still dreamt about it. I wished I could go back in time and do that day all over again, but this time I wouldn't slap him across the face. I flipped to a later entry.

_**Entry # who gives a shit?**_

_**Today 3 people that I knew died, one of them being one of my best friends. Vexen, Marluxia and Xion. It was horrible. Not only was I useless to save them, but I had been the cause to Vexen's and Marluxia's deaths. I feel horrible, but that feeling has dulled because I have Roxas and apparently I learned yet another thing about him. He can heal. He has a power and apparently he can't die...I wonder how that will affect him in the future when I'm long gone. Will he find happiness with someone else? I hope so.**_

My heart stung after reading this entry. How could Axel think that I could find happiness after he was gone? I flipped to the end of the book. I was curious to see what his last entry was.

_**Entry # Roxas is so fucking adorable**_

_**I fear that my time with Roxas is growing short. With each passing day I find myself becoming weaker and weaker. I can barely walk and my powers are slowly disappearing. It seems to be happening to everyone. Zexion just recently passed away and Demyx is in a state of trauma. He won't even look at anyone. He just stays at home and cries. I had never seen such a broken person. Demyx really loved Zexion and he watched him die right before his eyes. It was a horrible sight. I was there when it happened. Zexion just suddenly collapsed while we were walking home. He was extremely pale and shaking uncontrollably. I don't really want to get into detail, but it was a horrible sight and I knew it had something to do with the experiments that Xemnas did on us. Is that going to happen to me and the rest of the gang? Will it happen to Roxas? I doubt it. Roxas can heal. If that does happen to him then he'll be fine, but...I pray to God that doesn't happen to me in front of him. I would die...literally, if he watched that. Anyway...this might be my last entry so Reno if you're still reading my diary stop it -_- and Roxas if you're reading it then keep it :) I love you ^_^**_

_**~Axel**_

Tears trickled down my face as I read the last words. What was he talking about? What experiments was he talking about and who was this Xemnas guy? I didn't care. Nothing could stop me from breaking down now and as I crawled over to Axel's old bed, I let all the tears I had held in escape and stain my face. I curled into a ball on his bed and inhaled his scent. I tried to use my imagination and pretend that Axel was here with me, but it didn't stop the pain in my heart. It only made it worse.

"Axel I miss you so much. I...I can't live like this...why...why did you leave me!? Why did it have to end like this!? I...I JUST WANT TO FORGET ABOUT YOU! I WANT TO FORGET ABOUT EVERYONE AND JUST LEAVE OR DIE OR WHATEVER!" I screamed, pounding my fist into the bed. I really meant those words too. That's what hurt the most. The fact that this had gotten to the point where I wanted to forget everyone was horrible. Was it normal to feel this way? Probably not.

"So you want to forget about me?" called a voice. I shot up and stared at the figure in the corner of the room. I couldn't believe my eyes. I must've been hallucinating. I probably was! At this point I really didn't care!

"A-Axel?" I asked. He gave me that cocky smile of his and walked over to me. Was he a ghost? It sure seemed like it. He was transparent and had a faint red glow surrounding his body.

"The one and only," he said, smiling at me. I tried to touch his face, but my hand just went through. This was probably the happiest and saddest moment ever since his death.

"Why are you here?" I asked

"Well to be honest I don't really know. All I know is that you need help."

"Gee thanks that's what every guy wants to hear."

"Hey it's true. You do need help both here." He pointed to my head "and here." He pointed to my chest.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Rox it's obviously time to move on. It's been, what 4 years?"

"How can I possibly move on? I love you and only you."

"I know that but wouldn't you want me to do the same if you were me and I was you?"

"...yes."

"Then do me a favor and at least try. Cause if ya don't then I'll know."

"I don't want to try. I want to be with you. I should've died too."

"But you didn't. You're alive and I thank God for that. I want you to be alive."

"I can never be reunited with you! I'll live forever! I'll just keep living and I'll watch my brother die and Riku and then I'll just be alone and keep living forever! It isn't fair!"

"Calm down," he said, placing his hands on my shoulders. When did they become solid? HOW did they become solid? He looked at me, "Don't question how I can do that. I just can."

He brushed his hand against my cheek, for once his hand felt like it was a normal temperature. I touched his hand with mine and absorbed his warm. I missed his touch. I missed his very presence.

"Roxas do me a favor," he said, "find someone and love them, but whatever you do don't ever forget about me ever again. Promise me this."

I couldn't promise that. I could promise not to forget him but I couldn't promise to find someone else and love them.

"Promise me," he said.

"I can only promise that I won't forget you," I said.

"...Fine I guess that's all I'm getting."

"Yes."

"Good. Oh and one more thing."

"What?"

"Wake up."

"Huh?"

My eyes shot open and I found myself in a white room. I looked around and shot up. Warm hands pushed me down and a velvety voice told me to calm down. I breathed slowly, realizing that I was in a hospital. Was that all a dream? I stared up at the red head looking down at me. Please oh god let all that hell I felt be a dream. I let out a sigh of relief as I stared up at the concerned Axel looking down at me.

"Roxas are you ok?" he asked. I nodded and examined him. He had bandages on his head and hands.

"What happened?" I asked. I looked down at myself. I wasn't in the best condition.

"Car accident," he said. Now I remembered. We were on our way back to town for Sora's birthday. God that dream was a nightmare, but it felt so real. Why was I having all these dreams about Axel and the others dying and me being left behind? Maybe it was because one day it will happen. Hopefully that wouldn't happen for a while.

"This is why I never drive in the rain," Axel said, ringing his hair, "I get weak and my reflexes aren't very good. If it was a sunny day I would've seen that bastard and dodged him."

"It's not your fault. It's his," I said. I couldn't really piece together what had happened. All I remember was that the car was flipping outside down and then I blacked out. That's when that dream started. That horrible dream. It felt so real and I thought that it was real. I really thought that everyone had died and Sora had hated me and that I was talking to Axel's ghost. It was freaky. I was happy that it was just a dream.

"You ok Rox?" Axel asked.

"Huh? Yeah. So what's wrong with me THIS time?" I asked.

"Broken arm and a lot of cuts. Other than that you're fine," he said.

"I'll probably be healed by tomorrow." I hated it when I stated that fact. My powers had grown so much that if something serious like a broken bone happened then it would be healed by tomorrow which is why we didn't stay in hospitals for that long.

"That's true. Unfortunately for me I won't, but I didn't get hurt too badly. Only a few stitches on my head and apparently the fire surrounded the car was drawn to me and burned my hands," Axel said, a laugh escaping his throat. I smiled. Even though he was hurt he always managed to laugh as if nothing bad had happened. That's one of the things I loved about Axel.

"You'll get better," I said smiling, "did you call Sora?"

"Yeah. He and the others are on their way here actually. I told them not to come but you know Sora. He doesn't listen. Hmm I wonder who that reminds me of!"

He stared at me, giving that cocky smile of his. I really hated and loved it when he did that. It made him look sexy but at the same time it also made me go crazy because whenever he made that smile it was either because he was right about something or he wanted to be mischievous and seductive.

"Believe what you want. Sora and I aren't similar in personality," I said.

"Deny it all you want Sunshine, but I know you two are similar. Why else do you think Riku clings to you whenever Sora isn't around?"

"Because he's one of my best friends."

"So is Demyx and Zexion, but they don't cling to you."

"Shut up Axel."

He smirked and kissed me on the cheek. He won this battle but he will not win the war. I slung my arms around his neck and captured his lips with mine. The kiss was a lot more passionate than any other kiss, probably because of that dream.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" I asked.

"You only kiss like that if something's bothering you."

"Nothing's bothering me. I just missed you. How long have I been unconscious?"

"Couple of hours. Are you sure nothing's bothering you?"

"Nothing's bothering me. I just missed you. Ok?"

"...Ok."

I captured his lips once again and, of course, that's when Sora and the gang barged in.


	2. Chapter 2 Happy Birthday

My friends probably had the worst timing in the world. Once they entered the room, Axel jumped back as if he were a kid caught looking at porn or something! I wanted to wring everyone's neck, but of course I kept calm and just sat there smiling. I think that made everyone realize what they had interrupted.

"Um...hi!" Sora said, giving on of his big goofy smiles. Ugh, whenever he made that smile it reminded me that we were twins. I always made the same goofy smile whenever I felt awkward or something.

"Hey Sora," I said through gritted teeth. I didn't know why I was so angry but I was. Probably because it had been a while since Axel and I had something close to a passionate moment like that. It seemed like the fire that burned so bright was dying down and soon it would be nothing but smoke.

I didn't know why it was happening but I wasn't going to let what we have die so easily. I was going to fight and I'm pretty damn sure that he would too. We needed to spark the fire between us again, but the question was. How do we do that?

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Everyone left after a couple of hours. Sora had to let mom know where I was and he also had to go home to get my gift. I had almost forgotten that Sora and I were twins which meant we had the same birthday. I really was stupid sometimes.

Once everyone was gone, Axel and I just stared into each other's eyes. It was as if we were having a silent conversation and I was ecstatic. This was a very intimate moment and I loved every second of it. After about 2 more minutes of staring into each others eyes, Axel brushed his lips against mine.

"I love you," he said. I smiled. I loved hearing him say that.

"I love you too," I replied. The words didn't justify either of our feelings for each other. My feelings for him were BEYOND love and I was pretty sure his feelings for me were beyond love too. At least I hoped they were.

"What's wrong?" he asked. That was his catchphrase. He always said what's wrong whenever I was in deep thought, which was all the time.

"Nothing just thinking," I said.

"About?"

"You."

"Ah I see." A smile crept onto his face and I playfully hit him on the shoulder.

"Don't get any ideas," I said.

"Why not? No one's here," he said seductively, his hands running down my arms. I shivered. Damnit he always did this!

"You ARE aware that we're in a hospital right?" I asked.

"I'm fully aware."

"We're not doing that here."

"Hehe fine."

He pecked my cheek and silently sulked in the chair. Maybe I was wrong about the fire burning out...ok I was definitely wrong! How could I not see that we were at the most passionate point in our relationship? Maybe I had grown so use to drama that it's affected how I see things.

The last 3 years in my high school life were dramatic as hell! So many things happened and when I was getting use to being normal again, I found a part of myself missing that drama. Of course I didn't want the drama, but I missed it a little.

"Why are you always in deep thought?" Axel asked, flashing his cocky smile.

"Because that's what people with brains do," I said

"Ouch," Axel said, "that hurt Rox."

"I'm sorry. Let me make it better."

I smirked, my lips caressing his. Before I knew it, he was on top of me. His teeth gently nipping at the skin on my neck, his strong arms wrapping around my waist and those sweet lips pressed against mine. I prayed to God that no one interrupted. I didn't want this moment to end, but of course all good things came to an end. Who was the one that stabbed into the heart of this passionate moment? Who else but Sora?

Once the creaking of the door filled the air, Axel jumped off me and sat down. We pretended like nothing happened, but the teeth marks on my neck said otherwise. Sora snickered and sat down in the seat opposite of Axel.

"Where's Riku?" I asked. That was strange. Riku was NEVER away from Sora.

"He had a class to go to," Sora explained. He handed me a bag and smiled, "open it."

I looked at the bag curiously. I gave him my gift to him and smiled, "open yours first."

He did as he was told and smiled at the deck of cards in his hand. 152 cards to be exact. He smiled at me and hugged me.

"I love you," Sora said, admiring his cards.

"Yah I know you do. You have no idea how hard it was to find them all," I said.

"I can't believe you managed to find all 152 original pokemon cards!" Sora said. I could tell he loved his gift.

"I can't believe I did either."

"Ok now open you're gift!"

I looked down at the blue bag on my lap. I carefully looked through it. Why was I feeling so timid all of a sudden? I pulled out a wrapped present and tear off the wrapping paper. I smiled and felt tears sting my eyes as I gazed at the photo in the picture frame. A picture of the whole gang was in the picture frame. Everyone was in it. Vexen, Riku, Sora, Zexion, Demyx, Axel, Xigbar and I. everyone was in it except two people. Marluxia and Xion.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and smiled at Sora, "thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, smiling, "well I will let you two have you're alone time. See ya later!"

He walked out and left me and Axel alone. The ticking of the clock made everything seem so awkward. Then it happened. Axel was on top of me, that devilish smirk painted on his face. My eyes widened and my cheeks grew hot. When the hell did this happen?

"Now where were we?" Axel asked, raising an eyebrow. Why did he have to say it so...seductive like? It had to be a crime to be THAT sexy! Sometimes it really wasn't fair, but I wasn't about to complain.

I tugged him by the collar of his shirt and crushed our lips together. The scent of cinnamon encased me and a sensation of warmth overcame me. If we weren't in a hospital, we would've both been naked by now.

"You ready to get out of here?" Axel asked.

"Yeah, let's go meet up with the others," I said.

"Ya sure you still want to go?"

"What makes you think I don't want to?"

"Well it's your birthday too and I know you hate your birthday. People are going to give you gifts and wish you a happy birthday."

"To me, it's only Sora's birthday and I'm not going to miss that. He's 19 now."

"And so are you."

"Don't remind me."

His fingers caressed my chin and tilted my head up. His green eyes held so much sadness in them. Why was there so much sadness in them? Why was he so sad?

"I know you don't like celebrating your birthday but I do," he said

"Why? It doesn't matter," I said

"It does to me. You're 19 now, Roxas. I remember that you use to be ecstatic during your birthday. Why has that changed?"

"...you know why."

"Because you can't die? So you're depressed every time you get a year older? This is what has been bothering you isn't it?"

"...yes."

"Roxas it's like I said 3 years ago. We better make the most of the time we have together. I plan on staying with you forever, even in death."

"You can't stay with me in death." He caressed my cheek and put my hand on his chest.

"My heart is yours. It always has been. When we were in high school, today and when I'm long gone. It will always belong to you. That's what will keep me with you. My heart."

I couldn't take it any longer; the tears poured from my face and dripped down my face. My arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down into a kiss. His hands cupped my face and his tongue demanded entrance, which I immediately allowed. I let out a soft moan, his lips curving into that cocky smile of his.

"Ok screw the party," Axel said, "I'm taking you home so I can screw you."

I laughed and locked my hands together as he picked me up and ran out of the room and to the counter that the nurse was sitting at. The funny thing was Axel was serious. I knew he was and I wasn't going to complain. It's actually what I wanted right now. No, not what I wanted. What I NEEDED.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Axel threw me onto the bed, climbing on top of me as he captured my lips. My hands ran up and down his back, until the slipped under his shirt and tugged it off. He licked my lips, his hands slipping off my own shirt. I arched my back slightly as his hands ran down it until they reached my ass. His hands slipped into them as his teeth worked with the zipper. Axel was in one of his 'lion and his prey' moods.

The universe was out to get us, I swear it's true. Right as we're about to do it, the fucking phone rings! I groaned and picked the phone up, Axel nipping and kissing my neck as I hit the talk button.

"Roxas where are you!" Sora said

"Sorry Sora I'll make it up to ya! Kinda busy!" I said

"I swear to god if you and axel are missing this because you two are fucking I WILL kill you!"

"Tsk tsk! Such bad language Sora!"

"Shut up!"

"C'mon Sora you would've ditched me for Riku too."

"...Fine! You owe me little brother!"

"I'm like a minute younger than you!"

"Still counts. Bye! BYE AXEL!"

"Bye Sora," Axel said, purring as he licked my lips. I hung up the phone and tossed it to god knows where. My arms wrapped around his neck tightly, pushing his lips roughly against mine.

Slipping in between my legs, Axel caressed my cheek and smiled down at me. Our lips met once more as he thrust into me, my muscles tensing as he did and a muffled moan escaping my lips. With each thrust I found myself moaning louder and that was just feeding to Axel's ego. I knew it was.

Axel always managed to hit that sweet spot every time and every time he hit it I would moan out his name...loudly. He loved it too. He really was a cocky bastard sometimes but I loved him.

My thoughts snapped back into reality when I felt those warms hands on my cheeks and those sweet lips against mine as Axel thrust faster into me. That pleasure I had always felt whenever we made love engulfed me and a bubbly warm sensation bubbled in my stomach. He hit that sweet spot dead on over and over again. I screamed his named as I climaxed, him following after.

He pulled out of me and lay down next to me, smiling. He caressed my cheek again and kissed me tenderly.

"I love you Roxas," he said, smiling widely, "happy birthday."

"I love you too Axel," I whispered. We were both exhausted. I snuggled into him and absorbed his natural warmth, the warmth that I had loved ever since I met Axel. What was the last thought that ran through my mind? Best. Birthday. Ever.


	3. Chapter 3 Prooven Theory

_"Roxas get down from there!" his mother called._

_ "No!" the young Roxas shouted, one hand gripping onto the tree branch the other waving frantically._

_ "Get down there now young man!"_

_ "Over my dead body!"_

_ The branches to the tree rustled. Roxas cocked his head to the side, seeing his red headed neighbor on the branch. He looked terrified. The red head smiled at the young blond and held out his hand._

_ "C'mon Roxas," he said gently, "it's dangerous up here. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."_

_ "I don't want to go down. She'll make me go to the doctor again! I hate doctors!"_

_ "She's doing it so you won't be sick anymore. Tell ya what; I'll go with you to the doctor ok?"_

_ "...Promise?"_

_ "Promise."_

_ The blond took his neighbors hand and smiled at him. The red head smiled brightly and pulled Roxas towards him until he was in his arms. He climbed down and walked with him to his mom. The mother thanked him and put her son into the car._

_ "Um excuse me ma'am but I promised Roxas that I'd go with him," the neighbor said._

_ "I appreciate you trying to keep your promise but it's up to your mother if you can go," Roxas' mother said._

_ "I'll go ask her. Please. I want to keep my promise."_

_ "...alright go ask her. What's your name?"_

_ "Axel ma'am. Axel Hi."  
_

"Roxas get down from there!" Axel shouted up to me. I stuck my tongue out at him. He hated it when I was in trees, "Roxas Hikari Hart!"

"Oooo big bad Axel middle named me," I said, chuckling. I was ticking him off and I loved it. It had been two days since my birthday and I was actually enjoying being a 19 year old. I was climbing trees again, something I loved to do.

"C'mon Rox!" Axel shouted. He was a big baby when it came to heights. I learned that when I was only 6 years old. That was when he met Axel. The red headed boy that he didn't know very well at all had come up a tree to get him down. He remembered that day well. Axel had kept his promise and had gone to the doctor with them. That's when he started to get to know Axel.

"Roxas get your ass down here!" Axel shouted.

"Axel get your ass up here!" I shouted back at him.

"Don't think I won't!"

"Ha! You won't."

"What!"

"Axel I know you're afraid of heights! I've known it since I was 6!"

His face turned red and I couldn't help but laugh. How could he not think that I knew? That look on his face when he was only 9 showed how terrified he was. Axel never knew the real reason why I went with him. It wasn't because he promised; it was because Axel was scared. That look on that little boys face showed pure terror and I, being the only one who could make that terror go away, went with him.

Even back then, when I barely knew Axel, I still cared for him and loved him, but in a totally different way. Now I loved him with all of my heart and I wasn't going to let him go.

I was snapped back into reality when I felt warm lips pressed against mine. When did Axel climb up here? Why did I care? My arms instantly wrapped around his neck, deepening the kiss as he scooped me into his arms.

"So what about me being afraid of heights?" he asked.

"I know you are," I said, "you're just trying to be a tough guy."

"Heh maybe but you have no proof."

"Oh don't I?"

He stared at me for a second. I smirked and began to climb higher. I could see the terror on his face rising up. There was no way he was going to climb hi-...HE'S CLIMBING HIGHER? Axel is either very stubborn or determined to capture me. No, he's both.

"Roxas I'm so killing you when we get down," he said.

"Heh IF we get down," I said. I'm climbed up another branch, but as I started climbing up my foot slipped. I lost my balanced and fumbled around to grab a branch, but no luck. I was falling. Falling fast, but it felt like it was in slow-mo in my mind. I can hear someone screaming. Was it me or Axel? Probably the both of us. I didn't know why we were. It's not like I'll die when I hit the gro-

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Axel POV**

Terror filled me when I saw him fall. I reached out to try and grab him, but he slipped through my fingers. I was scared. Scared that I would loose him. We had only assumed that Roxas cannot die. We never tried it out and now here he was, falling right in front of me and I wasn't going to be able to catch him. He was going to hit the ground and he'll either live or die.

I practically dropped down from the tree when I was climbing down. I wanted to get to him as soon as possible. Tears were already filling my eyes and they were threatening to stain my face and that's exactly what they did when I found Roxas covered with the plants and leaves. I couldn't stand the sight. He looked dead. He was bleeding and his eyes were open, staring into the nothingness. I fell to my knees at the horrible sight. I cradled his body in my arms, praying that he'll come back to life.

A heard a sharp gasp and looked down. The cuts and bruises that were on Roxas' body were disappearing and he was looking at me, coughing into his hand.

"Well that proved my theory," he said. I didn't laugh; I pressed him close to my chest. I thanked god that he was ok, "Axel I'm fine."

"I-I know I was just scared," I said, my whole body was shaking. I couldn't control it. I truly thought that I had lost Roxas. If that had happened I don't know what I would've done. I would've probably been depressed for the rest of my life and die.

"You want to let go?" he said, giggling. How could he possibly laugh? He was just dead a few minutes ago! Did he find death funny or something? Probably. He IS Roxas after all. I release him from my grasp and smiled at him, wiping the dry blood from his mouth.

"Thanks," he said, kissing me tenderly on the lips. I really did love it when he did that. I slung my arms around his small waist, pushing him closer to me.

"You want to go visit some old friends?" I asked.

"Hmm? Who?" he asked.

"Well, we haven't heard from Zexion and Demyx in a while and we missed seeing Sora, Riku, Xigbar and Larxene on yours and Sora's birthday. Why don't we get the gang back together for bowling or something?"

"Bowling?"

"Or we could just go to dinner."

"Nah bowling sounds nice. Haven't done that in a while."

"Hehe good because they're already there waiting for us."

"Heh you knew I would say yes."

"What can I say? I know my Roxie."

I kissed him once more, lifting me and him to our feet. I held his hand and we started heading to the car. It was going to be a fun day. I missed everyone. Especially Zexion and Demyx. They had been so helpful when Roxas and I first started going out. Demyx saved Roxas' life and Zexion had warned us about upcoming danger.

The only 2 people that I missed more than Zexion and Demyx were Vexen and Marluxia. They had died 3 years ago and the guilt that I had felt back then still haunted me. I still had nightmares of that day and even though I tried to hide it from Roxas, I knew he knew something was bothering me. I never told him what had happened at Castle Oblivion. I didn't want to. I didn't want to talk about it anyway. I hated recalling that day. If I hadn't been so stupid, Vexen and Marluxia would've been alive. But of course I had to be stupid and unleash the fire that built inside me just so I could possibly kill Xemnas. I didn't even kill the bastard, but I did send him to jail for life. Thank God for that.

"C'mon Axel!" Roxas called from the car. Impatient one isn't he? I snapped back into reality and smirked at the blond who was way ahead of me. I ran to the car, got in and we started driving to the bowling alley. I wonder if everyone looked the same. It had been 3 years. Appearances were guaranteed to be changed.


	4. Chapter 4 Could it be?

**Roxas POV**

The minute we walked into the bowling alley, I was tackled by what I think was Demyx. I couldn't really tell until I stared up at the blond that was on me. He looked different, more mature looking and yet he still had that boyish face that was so cute.

"ROXIE!" Demyx shouted, nuzzling my cheek. I never got tired of him tackling me, but I was still a little sore from falling off a freaking tall tree so it hurt like a bitch when he tackled me.

"Hi Dem. Mind getting off? I'm a letting sore," I said. I wanted to take the words. The look on Demyx's face could only mean one thing. He thinks that Axel and I had sex before coming here.

"Okie dokie," Demyx said, getting off of me and then helping me up. I could see the smirk forming on Demyx's face as he watched me flinch at the pain. I wanted to smack it right off.

"Ok bowling time!" Xigbar shouted. Larxene was clinging to him. Those two were worse than Axel and I. They were always with each other and always making these lovey dovey faces. It was kinda scary to see Larxene like this. I had known her to be a very hostile, bitchy person that hung around Axel a lot. Why she was one of Axel's friends I'll never know.

"You guys bowling?" Zexion asked us. I immediately shook my head. I hated bowling. I hated any kind of sport for 2 reasons. One I was not good at them and two everyone always got competitive especially Axel! Axel was also a sore loser. I was glad to hear that he wasn't going to bowl.

"Ok let's get started!" Xigbar said, cracking a smirk at all of them and entering their names.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

We all spent the next or so at the bowling alley. Axel and I watched everyone and rooted for everyone. Zexion one all four games. No surprise there. After everyone got fed up with Zexion beating them, we left the bowling alley and headed to a fair that was nearby. Apparently everyone, including Axel, knew about this fair except me so Axel wound up paying for me. I hate it when he pays for me. He always says its no problem, but it is a problem for me. I can't pay him back number one and number two I should pay for myself.

"C'mon Roxie," Axel said. He grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the Ferris wheel. I had no idea why he was bringing me onto this ride. Axel was afraid of heights. Why would he go onto a Ferris wheel? It made no sense.

"Axel you're afraid of heights," I said as we climbed onto the seat of the Ferris wheel.

"Am I? Oh well I guess I'll just have to hold onto you," he said, smirking. It all became clear to me then. I now knew the reason why Axel wanted to go onto the Ferris wheel with me. Sneaky bastard.

He held my hand, intertwining our fingers as he kissed my forehead. I was sad that he was wearing gloves but I didn't blame him. It looked as if it was about to rain and it was windy out.

Axel jumped when the Ferris wheel began to move; I could see the fear in his eyes. I rarely saw that in his eyes. He always avoided things that would make him scared. He didn't have many fears and I always wondered why he was afraid of heights of all things.

"Relax Ax," I said, cupping his cheek and making him look at me. That cocky smirk of his appeared and then, of course, his lips touched mine. Yep, he got me. He'll pay for this later.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Zexion POV**

"Dem I'm going to head home," I said. The look of disappointed was painted across Demyx's face and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for leaving the fair so early, but I was exhausted and not feeling well.

"You feeling ok Zexy?" he asked in that adorable voice of his. I gave him a weak smile and told him not to worry. Then I left without another word.

I was half way home and that's when it began to...snow? What the hell? It's summer. Why the hell would it be snowing? It was definitely weird. It made me think of Vexen. Usually when he was scared or extremely pissed off, it would start to snow. Vexen always said his greatest weakness was his thirst for knowledge but I knew that was a bunch of bullshit. His greatest weakness was his emotions. He didn't know how to control his emotions and he was afraid to feel them. I knew that, but of course he didn't know that I knew.

After having a mental conversation with myself, I finally started walking the rest of the way home. Then I saw the strangest thing when I passed Vexen's former house. A little boy was in the middle of the street. What the hell? I walked up to him and once I saw those green eyes and that blond hair, my heart stopped. I crouched down next to him.

"Um...little boy why are you out here all alone?" I asked; this was weird. No this was _beyond _weird. This was freaky!

The boy just stared at me, tilting his head to the side. Did he not know how to talk? How old was he? This was very irritating.

"What's your name?" I asked. No answer. Perhaps he was a mute, "how old are you?"

The boy put up 5 fingers. Ok so he was old enough to talk, so why wasn't he?

"Are you lost?" the boy nodded "where are your parents?" the boy shrugged. He was no hope at all. "Ugh fine. Come with me."

The moment I reached for his hand, the boy backed away and hid his hands behind his back. I cocked an eyebrow and stared at the boy. Blond hair, green eyes, he won't let me touch him, he's scarred and it's snowing in the summer. Why was I getting the feeling that I was staring at Vexen?

I pulled off my gloves and handed them over to the boy. He looked at my curiously and then at the gloves. I didn't have time for this. I didn't feel well and I wasn't very patient today. I slipped the gloves onto his hands and held it. I walked down the street and headed into my house when it came into view.

I sat the boy and down and looked at him, "I'm going to ask you again. What's your name?"


	5. Chapter 5 The Return

**Zexion POV**

The boy stared at me. It was almost as if he was trying to remember his name or if he was trying to figure something out. Finally he spoke.

"M-My name is V-Vexen," he said in the smallest voice I ever heard.

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. It had to be a coincidence. This couldn't be Vexen...could it? If it were Vexen, then how the hell was he here and why was he a five year old? Perhaps reincarnation was real.

"Alright Vexen where are your parents?" I asked.

"D-Daddy left and M-Mommy w-was..."

"Was what?"

"...k-killed."

"By who? Do you know what the person looked like?"

"H-He had Silver hair, a-amber eyes and t-tan skin."

Silver hair, amber eyes and tan skin? He couldn't possibly be talking about...

"Do you know his name?"

"N-No."

"Ok...come on you look cold. Let's make you and me some hot chocolate and get you wrapped in some blankets."

"T-Thank you Zexion."

I stopped in my tracks. I never told him my name. I turned to him and looked him in the eyes. It was creepy looking at him. He looked so much like Vexen.

"How did you know my name?" I asked.

"I-I don't know...it just came to me."

"...tell me. Do you think that's my real name?"

He shook his head. This was getting creepier. Only the teachers, Demyx, my parents and me knew what my real name was. The others never paid attention during attendance during school, plus I had asked the teachers to call me Zexion ever since 2nd grade.

"Do you know what my real name is?" I asked him.

"...I-Ienzo."

I couldn't believe this. There was no way this child would know that. I continued my way to the kitchen and took out the hot chocolate packets. I boiled the water and, of course, I managed to burn myself somehow.

"Agh stupid water!" I winced as I went to the sink to run some cold water on my hand, but when I turned on the water it immediately turned to ice. I looked at the boy, who claimed to be Vexen. A look of fear was painted all over his face. He looked so helpless and scared. It reminded me of me when I was about that age.

"Don't be scared. I just burned myself. It happens all the time," I said. He seemed to relax after I said that and the ice turned back to water. I smiled at him at ran my hand under the cold water.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

I handed the blanketed boy his hot chocolate and sat across from him. I had questions that needed to be answered and I was pretty sure that this boy could answer them.

"I need to know something," I said. My attention was set on me now, "can you make and control ice?"

The boy stared at his hot chocolate again. He didn't want to answer that question and that's what reassured me that he could control and make ice. That meant that this was Vexen, but why was he child? He was killed. I saw it happen in a vision. So why was he here and why was he a child? None of this made sense.

"You're not the only one who has a power like that," I said, smiling.

"Y-You can control ice too?" he asked, looking up at me.

"No, but I can create illusions and see the future," I said.

"R-Really?"

"Yep. I would show you but I'm afraid that I would make you see something horrible. I don't practice making illusions so I'm not very good. Seeing the future is what I'm good at since I have no choice but to see visions.

"T-That's amazing!"

"I guess. You're power is amazing too ya know. You just have to learn to control it."

"I don't know how."

"Well then I should have Axel teach you."

"Axel?"

"Surely you must know who that is."

"...does he have red hair and green eyes?"

"Yep."

"I've never met him...but I see him in my dreams."

"Dreams?"

"I have dreams of people that I've never met. There's this one guy named Marluxia and he's always saying he's coming for me and that we'll be together again soon. I stopped dreaming of him a couple of months ago."

"Who else have you dreamed of?"

"A boy named Roxas. Two girls named Xion and Larxene. Three men named Xigbar, Xemnas and Saix and two teens named Demyx and Zexion, which is you."

"What if I told you that you knew those people?"

"Huh?"

"Vexen you knew all those people. At least you did when you were still alive."

"What? I am alive."

"No I mean...ugh this is hard to explain. Wait here."

I got up and headed over to the bookshelf. I pulled out a photo album and skimmed through the pages until I found what I needed. I took the picture and headed back to Vexen. I held up the picture to him.

"This was you," I said.

"I still don't understand. I'm only five. I'm not old."

"Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"No."

"Neither do I but there's proof of it right in front of my face."

"You think I'm Vexen reincarnated?"

"Yep."

"B-But that's impossible!"

"You have blond hair, green eyes, you can control ice and you know Axel, Roxas, Xigbar, me, Demyx, Xemnas, Saix, Xion and most importantly Marluxia. I think you are Vexen reincarnated."

"This is so confusing."

"Ya know for a five year old you speak pretty well and you have a good vocabulary."

"Mommy taught me a lot of stuff."

"Sounds nice to have a mother."

"Don't you have one?"

I stared into space for a moment. I did have a mother and I did have a father. One died when I was five and the other left when I was just two. I was alone after that and then I was taken in by my best friend. The man who taught me everything I knew today and got me to speak. Of course no one knew he was my adoptive father. They thought that he was just a science teacher who got close to his student.

"My mother died when I was young," I said, "I was only five years old."

"Just like me..." he said. I had noticed that not once did he show signs of crying. It was almost as if he was afraid to.

"Yeah," I smiled at him and ruffled his hair, "it's my turn to help you Vexen."

I heard the front door open from downstairs. Demyx must be home. I got up and headed to the door the spare bedroom. I opened it and leaned against the door frame.

"Demyx!" I called down.

"Yah?" he asked.

"I found Vexen!"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?"

I could hear rushed footsteps. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say. Demyx overreacted a lot. He ran up the stairs and was face to face with me. He looked scared. What the hell was going on in that head of his.

"Where's the corpse!" he asked

"Corpse?"

"God I knew you were crazy but I didn't think you were _this_ crazy!"

"Demyx relax there's no corpse."

"No corpse?"

"No corpse."

"Oh thank god!"

He hugged me tightly, nuzzling my cheek. As much as I loved getting hugs from him, I wasn't enjoying this one. I couldn't breathe.

"Dem can't breathe," I said.

"OH sorry!" he said, releasing me. Thank god he did. I thought I was going to pass out, "so what do you mean by you found Vexen?"

I pulled him into the room and showed him the blond haired boy that was sitting on the bed.

"OHMIGOSH! YOU STOLE A CHILD?" Demyx shouted.

I slapped the palm of my hand onto my face, "Jesus Christ Demy I'm not that crazy."

"Why is there a child in our house?"

"I found him on my way home from the fair. He has no one Dem."

"No one?"

"His dad left him and his mother is dead. He's all alone."

"Aww! LET'S ADOPT HIM!"

"I had ever intention to if he wants to stay with us."

"What his name?"

"It's Vexen."

The smile on Demyx's face was wiped away and replaced with a look of shock.

"His name is Vexen?" he asked.

"Yep and he knows who everyone is. He can control ice too," I said.

"H-How is that possible!"

"I'm thinking reincarnation."

"I thought you didn't believe in reincarnation."

"I don't...I didn't. The proof is kinda right in front of me."

"Wait a second...if Vexen was reincarnated...then does that mean that Marluxia and Xion will be reincarnated too!"

"I'm thinking yes...oh shit."

"What?"

"Saix too."

"What?"

"Saix will be reincarnated too!"

"Uh oh."

"I don't think he'll be any trouble. He'll probably be an infant...hopefully."

"The family is going to be reunited!"

The excitement radiating off of Demyx was enough to make me smile brightly. He always managed to make me smile even when I'm depressed. I looked at Vexen. He was asleep. I walked over to him and threw the blankets, that had fallen off of him, on him.

"What?" I asked, looking at Demyx. He was staring at me with this big smile on his face.

"Nothing. You just look like a good dad," he said. I looked back and Vexen, brushing his hair out of his face.

"It's my turn to help him."

"What?"

"When I was only five years old, my mother died and my dad had left three years earlier. I had no one. I was put into an orphanage and that's when Xemnas took me. A year later I was back in that orphanage and I was alone once again. No one wanted to adopt me because I was different, but then Vexen came along and saw me. He adopted me and took care of me like a father should. He use to say that I was the brightest of them all and I was special. Now Vexen is here and he's alone and helpless. It's time for me to pay him back."

I took one last look at Vexen and then went over to Demyx. I never told anyone about my childhood before. I never told anyone that Vexen was my adoptive father and now here I was telling Demyx, the person I love the most, about my past. It was refreshing to tell someone.

"C'mon we should get to bed," I said, holding his hand. I flicked off the light and lead Demyx to our bedroom. I'll tell the others about this tomorrow. Right now I wanted to lay down in bed with Demyx and just stare into his eyes until we fall asleep.


	6. Chapter 6 I thought we got rid of him!

**Zexion POV**

The next morning I got up and headed to the guest bedroom. I nearly had a panic attack when I saw that Vexen wasn't there, but as soon as I turned around I saw him.

"What are you doing out of bed?" I asked, quietly. Demyx was still asleep and I didn't want to wake him.

"I-I had to use the bathroom," Vexen said in that small voice of his.

"Oh. Follow me."

I walked down the stairs, the blond boy following me. It was kinda annoying. He was not even an inch away from me. I reached the kitchen, Vexen still following, and began to make us some breakfast.

After I had fought with the frying pan, I placed a plate of eggs on the living room table and told Vexen to join me. He obeyed and sat next to me on the couch, eating his eggs as I flicked on the TV.

_"And today on news 12. A former scientist has escaped prison. He was on death row for the injustice of kidnapping and experimenting on young children and teens. The police don't know how he escaped or where he is. Citizens are recommended to lock their doors and not to approach or help this man."_

My fork dropped out of my hand as my jaw dropped when the picture of the man showed up on the screen. It wasn't until I heard a scream that I snapped out of the trance and looked to my left. Vexen was behind the couch, tears streaking down his face and his body shaking. I went to him and hugged him tightly, my hand petting him gently as I looked at the screen.

This couldn't be right. How could he have escaped? A sudden ring pierced the silence causing me to jump and nearly have a heart attack. I reached for the phone, grabbed it and held it to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked.

"ARE YOU WATCHING THE NEWS?" Larxene's voice screamed into the phone.

"Yes I am."

"THIS IS INSANE! THAT BASTARD IS OUT ON THE STREETS AND HE'S ALIVE!"

"Calm down Larxen-."

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN SO DON'T WASTE YOUR BREATH!"

"Ok I will talk to you later then."

I hit the end button and wound up hitting the talk button once more. It seemed everyone was watching the news today. I sighed and held the phone to my ear.

"Are you watching the ne-?"

"Yes I am," I said, interrupting Axel.

"Can you believe this! I thought we put the mother fucker away!"

"As did I but apparently not. By the way can you and the others come over today?"

"I guess. Why?"

"Let's just say I found Vexen."

"Please tell me that his corpse isn't going to be there when we get there."

"No! God does everyone think I'm THAT crazy!"

"...was that rhetorical?"

"Just get everyone's ass over here!"

"Ok, ok no need to get snippy."

I, once again, hit the end button and tossed the phone onto the couch. I didn't even bother picking it up when it hit the ground instead. I picked up Vexen and headed upstairs. The young blond seemed to have fallen asleep again. I would have to ask him later why he screamed before.

I gently laid him down on the bed, but when I started leaving a small hand tightly grabbed the hem of my shirt. I turned around and saw Vexen staring at me with pleading eyes.

"P-Please don't leave," he said. He sounded like he was about to cry.

"I'll be right back. I just have to check on Demyx," I replied.

"N-No! Please don't leave."

I couldn't say no. Not after hearing the desperate tone in his voice. I pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down.

"Alright I'll stay," I said, "now sleep. You seem exhausted."

The blond nodded and closed his eyes, his hand still tightly holding onto my shirt. I plucked the hand off and held it gently in my own hands. It was scary how much Vexen and I was similar. I remember asking for him to stay in my room when I was young and he gave in almost instantly. He could never ignore a child.

I looked up when I heard the door open. Demyx was standing there, smiling at me. I gave him a weak smile back and gently laid Vexen's hand on the bed, he had already fallen asleep. I walked over to Demyx and closed the door silently.

"Did you by any chance see the news?" I asked him. He shook his head. I took his hand and guided him down to the living room. I flicked off the TV, cleared the plates and sat back down on the couch.

"Zexion what's wrong?" he asked, looking at me with those big eyes of his.

"...He escaped."

"Who did?"

"...Xemnas."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Roxas POV**

"Tell me again why we're going to Zexion's and Demyx's house," I asked as Axel rummaged through his dresser.

"Zexion apparently found Vexen," Axel said, picking up his gun and holster from the dresser.

"Wait wait what? I thought Vexen was dead! Well he was dead once before and it turned out that he wasn't but I'm pretty sure he's dead this time and why the heck do you need your gun!"

"I don't know how he found Vexen. That's why we're going over there and I need my gun for protection." He strapped the belt attached to the holster on and continued looking for his badge.

"Why the heck do you need protection?"

"Because a guy who was on death row escaped prison. That's why."

"Oh."

That ended that conversation. I messed with the hem of my shirt while I waited for Axel to find his badge. He should really take more care of it, but of course he doesn't listen. When I looked up my cheeks turned pink as I gazed into Axel's eyes. When did he get this close? Wasn't he across the room? His lips curved into a seductive smile. I knew where this was going and I wasn't going to let that happen again. Zexion and the others were waiting for us.

"No," I said.

"Aww c'mon Roxie," he whined like the child he was and had always been.

"NO. We'll be late."

"So what? We're always late and so is everyone else."

Those lips began to kiss up my neck, to my jaw and eventually my lips. I suppressed the urge to wrap my arms around his neck and bring him closer. We had to go. I pushed him away lightly and stared at him.

"We have to go," I said. The heartbroken look in his eyes made me want to kiss him again, but I stood my ground and resisted the urge.

He sighed and nodded. That was too easy. Way too easy. He must've been planning something or maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was actually listening to m-...that bastard. I knew there was a reason I couldn't move my arms.

"You bastard," I said, pulling at the handcuffs that were around my wrists. He turned to me and smirked, the keys swinging on his finger, "Axel this isn't funny! Take the cuffs off!"

"Convince me to take them off," he said.

"If you don't take them off then I will never have sex with you ever again." That didn't work. That just provoked him. He gently pushed me onto my back and climbed on top of me. His lips roughly pressed against mine as his hand slid up my shirt. This was totally unfair. I really hated him right now.

I pulled away, "Axel you're being an asshole. C'mon get off of me!"

"Aww C'mon Roxie _pleeease_?" he said, kissing and biting at my neck.

"Mmm n-no! We have to go," I said. My heart and body wanted to give in so badly, but my brain wasn't letting them. I wasn't going to let him win. Not this time.

"Please?"  
"No! Why do you want to do this now anyway!"

He looked at me, his face suddenly serious. I let out a jagged breath as his green eyes stared into mine. Why was he so serious all of a sudden? He's never acted like this before.

"I just...want to spend as much time as I can loving you..." he said, his voice harvesting the tiniest bit of hurt.

"...Is this because I can't die?" I asked. He rested his head on my shoulder and nodded slowly, "it's not like you're going to die tomorrow Axel. We'll have plenty of time to do this later."

"...I guess." He climbed off of me and took the handcuffs off. I rubbed my wrists and smiled at him. I'm glad we were able to settle through that.

As he was about to walk away when I grabbed his arm, spun him around and pressed my lips against him. His arms automatically wrapped around my waist as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"What was that for?" he asked, smiling.

"It was a reward for listening to me," I replied, my fingers running through his red spikes.

"I should do that more often shouldn't I?"

"Yes you should."

"Hehe alright lets get going to Zexion's house."

"Ok."

I followed Axel hand in hand out of the house. I was really happy for two reasons. One was he actually listened to me and the other reason was that he wasn't wearing his gloves. He barely did, but sometimes he would put them on when he was angry or when he felt depressed.

"Damnit!" Axel shouted as the rain began to hammer down on us. If there was one thing that Axel hated, it was the water. I giggled as Axel's gelled hair began to deflate and clung to his back and face, "oh you think this is funny?"

"Yes, yes I do," I said, smirking. This was karma for not listening to me before. I watched him to try to make fire combust by snapping his fingers, but no fire appeared. I laughed even more as he stomped his foot in frustration and opened the door to the car. I climbed in after him and smirked at him.

"You think this is hilarious don't ya? How about you trying having your power affected by the god damn weat-."

I shut him up with my lips. My hand cupping his cheek as his tongue slipped into my mouth. A soft moan escaped my throat as his hand slid under my shirt and up to my chest. I pulled away and smiled at him.

"Ok I'm good now," he said, putting the key into the ignition and pulling out of the driveway. Healing wasn't my only magical power.


	7. Chapter 7 Reincarnation?

**A/N: I'd like to thank my beautiful girlfriend :) she helped me A LOT with this chapter ^^; enjoy!**

**Roxas POV**

The drive to Zexion's and Demyx's house was a quiet one. The rain was affecting Axel's behavior and I was too tired to make conversation. I put on the radio, tapping my foot to the beat of the song. Axel was drumming on the steering wheel and before we knew it, we were bursting into song.

Our horrible singing stopped as we pulled into the driveway of Demyx's and Zexion's house. We climbed out of Axel's car and headed up the stairs to the door. I suddenly stopped when something interesting caught my eye. I turned towards the forest that was next to the house.

"Roxas you coming?" Axel asked.

"I'll be right there," I said, I started walking towards the forest.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I see something in the forest."

"I'll come with you."

He came up to me and followed me into the forest. When we were deep in the forest, I gasped. A toddler with pink hair was in the bushes, staring at us.

"What the heck?" I said, going up to the child, "why are you out here little guy?"

Of course the kid didn't answer me. He only looked like he was 2 years old. He probably hadn't learned how to speak yet.

"Why is there a toddler in the woods?" Axel asked, crouching down next to the boy, "well this is freaky."

"What?" I asked.

"He has pink hair and blue eyes. He resembles Marluxia."

"That's odd. We should bring him back with us."

"Why?"

"Because he's all alone here! His parents probably abandoned him or something!"

"Alright, Alright. We'll take him back with us."

Axel picked up the toddler gently and began walking back towards the house. I followed him and smiled at the little boy that Axel was holding. He was so cute and when I smiled at him, he smiled back.

When we reached the door, I rang the bell and waited. The door opened and Zexions unemotional face appeared, but that unemotional face was covered in shock when he gazed at the little boy in Axel's arms.

"Um...why do you have a child that looks like Marluxia?" Zexion asked.

"We found him in the forest all alone," I said, "so we took him with us."

"Hmm...I wonder...oh! Come in," Zexion said. He let us in and we sat down on the couch in the living room. The others were there as well.

"Alright Zexion, why did you calls us here?" Larxene said, looking as pissed as ever.

"Ok well the reason why I called you all here is because I have a theory," Zexion began, "I have a theory that abnormal humans can be reincarnated."

"That's crazy," Xigbar said, "reincarnation isn't real."

"How do you know that?" Zexion said, stopping his pacing and looking at Xigbar.

"Well I don't know."

"Exactly. This is why you should get real facts before you say that something isn't real. Anyway, I think I have proof that it IS real."

"And that proof is?" Axel asked, trying to stop the toddler from fidgeting.

"Vexen," Zexion simply said. Once he said his name, Demyx came downstairs with a blond boy with green eyes in his arms.

"You're kidding me," Xigbar said, "You adopt a little boy with green eyes and blond hair and assume that he's Vexen reincarnated?"

"First of all, Xigbar, we didn't adopt him. I found him in the street while it was snowing. He said his name was Vexen and he knows things that he shouldn't. He knows my real name and he knows all of your names and he can control and make ice," Zexion explained.

"I still don't believe in reincarnation," Xigbar said.

"Ok well maybe reincarnation doesn't happen to normal humans but it probably happens to us. We're not normal. Plus there's more proof of reincarnation. The little boy that Axel is carrying looks like Marluxia."

"Alright maybe that kid looks like Marluxia and maybe your "son" does look like Vexen, it still doesn't prove anything," Xigbar said.

"Why are you being so skeptical!" Axel said, "I can shoot fire out of my fingertips. I'll believe anything at this point!"

"He's got a point there," Larxene said, "Zexion does have proof and I'll believe anything at this point as well."

"Whatever," Xigbar said as he leaned back onto the couch, defeated and not wanting to use too much energy fighting over something so stupid.

"Um if this whole reincarnation thing is true," I said, "does that mean that Xion and...Saix will be reincarnated as well?"

"I'm thinking yes," Zexion said.

"Great we have to deal with dog boy again," Xigbar said.

"Well he'll be an infant probably," Zexion stated, "so he won't really be a threat."

"True," Xigbar replied.

"Um another question. If that really is Vexen and that really is Marluxia, does that mean that they're going to be all lovey dovey even though they're children?" I asked.

"Um...I don't know," Zexion said, his gaze shifting to the blond next to him. Vexen's eyes were fixed on Marluxia. He looked like he had just seen an angel or something.

"I think that answers your question Rox," Axel said, smirking. He placed the toddler onto the floor and watched as the pink haired boy clumsily walked over to Vexen.

"Well I think that proves that is Marluxia and that is Vexen," Axel said, smirking. The sound of Axels voice seemed to have caught Vexen's attention. He began to walk over to Axel, staring at him in bewilderment. Axel raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"What?" Axel asked, flashing a smirk at the boy.

"Y-You're Axel right?" Vexen asked. The tone in his voice worried me. He sounded...scared.

"Yes I am," Axel replied. Vexen's eyes widened. He began to tremble and he soon ran to Zexion, crying and holding onto him as if his life depended on it.

"Vexen?" Zexion asked the blond, rubbing his back soothingly, "What's wrong?"

"H-He'll hurt me!" Vexen said, crying and burying his face into Zexions shirt.

"No he won't. Axel's your friend not your enemy," Zexion replied.

"What's wrong with him?" Axel asked. He almost sounded annoyed.

"He's probably afraid of you because you can control and make fire," Zexion said, cradling the boy in his arms, "Vexen doesn't remember much. He only remembers some names and faces. So he probably doesn't know that you're his friend."

"Well that sucks," Axel said, "now I have to gain his trust all over again."

"That's going to be a challenge. Fire can kill ice. That's why Vexen's afraid of you. He only senses the fire that is within you," Zexion explained, handing Vexen to Demyx. Demyx was surprisingly quiet. It was strange. Usually you couldn't get him to shut up.

"Well Marluxia seems to trust him," Larxene said, "and Fire kills flowers and plants."

"Marluxia is only 2, I'm assuming, he probably can't sense things as well as Vexen can," Zexion replied.

"What are we going to do with mini-Marly?" Larxene asked.

"Axel and Roxas could take care of him," Demyx said, smiling.

"Oh heck no!" Axel said.

"Whhhy!" Demyx whined.

"I didn't like Marluxia when he was a grown up! What makes you think I'll like him as a toddler?" Axel shouted

"Fine. How about Larxene and Xigbar?" Demyx asked.

"Count us out," Xigbar said, "There's no way I'm taking care of Marluxia."

"Then I guess that just leaves us," Demyx said.

"Well this is ironic," Zexion said.

"Why?" Demyx asked.

"Heh nothing," Zexion replied, looking at Marluxia. If I didn't know any better, I would think that Zexion was glaring at Marluxia.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Axel and I went home after our visit to Zexion's and Demyx's house. It was definitely an interesting visit and it was nice to know that Vexen and Marluxia were back...kinda. I did believe in this whole reincarnation thing...or at least I wanted to believe in it. If it was true then that means that when Axel and the others die, they will be reincarnated too and I won't be alone in the future. I was praying that reincarnation was real.

"Well that was definitely interesting," Axel said as we came into our room. He threw his gun and holster onto the table and sighed, flopping down on the bed. I decided to take advantage of this opportunity. I smirked and climbed on top of Axel, pinning him down as I pressed my lips roughly against him. The look on his face priceless.

"What was that for?" he asked, his eyes wide and his face red.

"Do I need a reason to kiss you?" I asked, smirking at him.

"Well no but it was just random and really really hot," he said, flashing me that seductive smile of his.

"Do you want to pick up from where you left off?"

Within seconds I was on my back. Axel was looking at me and smiling, I had just sealed my fate for the night. His lips kissed down my neck, his teeth biting at the sensitive skin and his hands pinning my arms down. This was going to be a fun night.


	8. Chapter 8 Haunting Memories and Visions

**Vexen POV**

_ "I love you," the angel said, tears pouring down his face as he leaned closer. Our lips met and I couldn't help but sob as my arms held him tightly. I didn't let him go. Not even when the fire was engulfing us and the cries of pain echoed in the room. I didn't let go._

My eyes opened slowly. Every single thing that happened in the dream was racing through my mind and I was beginning to wonder if daddy was right. Maybe I was a reincarnation of the man that I become in my dreams. It did make sense. I knew things I shouldn't and I kept having dreams of memories that weren't mine. At least I didn't think they were my memories.

"Vexen time to get up," daddy said. I sat up and smiled at him. He always made me smile whenever I saw him, but I think what made me smile this brightly was the toddler he was carrying. I felt this weird sensation whenever I saw Marluxia. He was cute and he reminded me of the angel in my dreams.

"Ok," I said, climbing out of bed and going over to them.

"How about we go to town and buy you some new clothes," Daddy said.

"Ok. Can Marluxia come too?"

"Yeah. I need to buy him some clothes too."

"Um...Zexion?"

"Yes?"

"Can I...hold Marluxia?"

"Sure."

He came over to me and sat down. He showed me how to hold the little toddler and gently handed me him. I smiled at the little boy and stared into his eyes. They were the same eyes of the angel that use to visit me in my dreams. I brushed the toddler's bangs out of his face. He had a lot of hair for someone who was only 2 years old.

"Does he bring back any memories?" Daddy asked me. I nodded and looked at him.

"I had a dream last night," I said.

"What was it about?"

"I was trapped in a room filled with fire and I think Marluxia was in it too, but he was older."

"Oh I see. Vexen this might sound scary, but...you were dreaming of yours and Marluxia's deaths."

"Our deaths?"

"Yes."

"So, we really are the people in my dreams?"

"Yes."

"How do we get back to being those people?"

"I don't know. Your memories will return eventually and little by little you'll start to act like the Vexen I know, but you'll still be at five year old. That may cause complications."

"Like what?"

"You'll have the mind of an adult trapped in a five years old body. You don't see how that could be a problem?"

"I guess that would be annoying."

"Yes. I know it would annoy me. There are a lot of things you couldn't do."

"So how do we fix it?"

"Well there might be something in the lab that could make you and the others older when your memories return. I'll have to check later."

"Ok."

He smiled at me and took Marluxia. He placed him on the ground and held his hand as he and the toddler walked towards the door. He turned to me and smiled.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

"Yeah! I'm coming daddy," I said. I gasped and clamped my hands on my mouth. I looked at him, waiting for him to react to what I just called him.

"Ok. Let's go," he said. He smiled and held out his hand. I pulled my hands off my mouth and walked over to him. I stared at him and took his hand.

"You're not angry that I called you daddy?" I asked.

"Of course not. Why would I be mad?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Called me whatever you want. If you want to call me daddy then you can call me daddy."

I smiled and hugged him tightly, "thank you." He chuckled and picked me up.

"No problem Vexen."

We walked downstairs, out the door and before I knew it we were at the store.

oOoOoOoOoOo

After we were done with shopping, Daddy treated us to dinner. Everything was fine until we started walking back to the parking lot. All of a sudden, daddy froze and was staring at a man.

"Daddy?" I asked. He didn't reply. He just kept staring at the man, who was walking towards us.

"'Ello Zexion it's been a while," the man said.

"W-Why are you here?" Daddy asked.

"I hear that Xemnas has escaped prison. Thought that maybe you would know where he is."

"I don't. Why on earth would I keep his location a secret from the police or government?"

"Ya never know who will betray you. You learned that the hard way didn't you?"

"Shut up! It was your fault that he betrayed us in the first place!"

I flinched. I didn't like it when daddy yelled. He looked down at me and ruffled my hair then he looked back at the man.

"Just leave me alone. I have to get home to Demyx," he said.

"Demyx?" the man asked, "Oh your best friend. I remembered him."

"Boyfriend now."

"Really? I thought you were homophobic Zexy."

"I was and don't call me Zexy."

"Aww why not? I'm practically family. You and your "sisters" use to call me Uncle Luxord," the man said, smirking.

"Yeah that was before you tried to kidnap me and my sisters."

"I said I was sorry about that didn't I? I was undercover. I had to listen to Xemnas."

"I almost died from an asthma attack!"

"How was I supposed to know that you had asthma? I don't think Xigbar even knew that you did."

"Whatever. Just stay away from me and my family."

"Family?" the man looked down at me and Marluxia, "oh who's this?"

He crouched down to my eye level and I was immediately filled with fear and...anger? Why? I just met him and I hated him? Maybe I knew him in the past.

"I-I'm Vexen," I said, hiding behind daddy's leg.

"Vexen? You named your son after Vexen?" he looked up at daddy.

"Demyx and I adopted the both of them and that was already his name. There's a reason why, but I don't feel like explaining it to someone who I don't care about," Daddy said. He sounded angry, "now if you excuse us. We'll be leaving."

He picked me and Marluxia up and walked past the man. I didn't like the smile that was painted across the man's face when we left. I didn't trust him and neither did daddy. Did that mean that he was a bad man?

We got back home and Demyx, almost immediately, took us upstairs and made us try on our new clothes. I think daddy went to take a nap when Demyx took us upstairs.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Zexion POV**

_"Demyx!" I screamed. My throat hurt so much from screaming and my eyes burned with tears. Make the pain stop. Stop hurting him!_

_ "Zexion!" Demyx cried out, trying to pull the hand off of his chest. I stared at him, barely able to breathe, as the silver haired man pinned Demyx to the wall. I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew Demyx was in pain. I had to get over there. I had to stop Xemnas! I had to protect Demyx._

_ "This is your "fathers" punishment," Xemnas said, "You go against me, you suffer the consequences."_

_ "Stop it! Just stop it! Don't torture Demyx! Please, torture me instead!" I screamed, the tears wouldn't stop._

_ "You would switch places with him?" Xemnas asked, looking at me._

_ "Yes I would. Please. I was the most important person to Marluxia besides Vexen," I said, choking on my tears. I was right. Marluxia loved me like a son. So did Vexen, but Marluxia and I did have this strange bond._

_ "Is that so?" he asked, releasing Demyx from his grip. He started walking towards me. The fear was building up in my body as he grabbed me and pinned me to the wall. I choked out a cry of pain when I hit the wall, but that was nothing compared to the pain that was in my heart. A blood curdling scream erupted from my throat. I felt like I was dying._

_ "I'll kill you first then and then I'll go after Vexen and the rest of his little family," Xemnas growled, "then I'll get my revenge on Axel and go after his little boyfriend."_

_ The pain intensified and I was lost in it. The scream that came out of my throat didn't even sound like it belonged to me. Was I going to die? Was I never going to see my friends and family ever again?_

"ZEXION! ZEXION WAKE UP!" a voice shouted. I gasped and sat up; the covers were disheveled on me. Sweat and fresh tears covered my face. I couldn't breathe right. I found myself gasping in uneven breathes. Demyx placed my inhaler in my mouth. I hadn't used this thing since I was 11.

I used it and began to breathe normally. I looked at him, noticing that he looked terrified. He touched my cheek and crouched down to my eye level.

"What did you see?" Demyx asked me. I shook my head. I didn't want to talk about what I had just seen, "Zexion please tell me."

"No Dem. Don't make me remember that nightmare. Just hold me, please," I said. I sounded so desperate. I've never sounded like this before.

He nodded and sat down, pulling me onto his lap and his arms encircled around me. He gently stroked my hair and kissed my face. I was shaking viciously and the tears were still pouring out of my eyes.

"I love you," Demyx whispered.

"I love you too Demyx," I replied. He kissed me softly and brushed my bangs out of my face. I prayed that vision was just a bad dream.


	9. Chapter 9 The Dead Are Alive

**? POV**

_Darkness. That's all I see. I can't move and I can't breathe. I am helpless. I wish to die but I can't. I am surviving but I am not living. I have to concentrate. I have to think focus on what I looked like and how it feels to be human. FOCUS!_

I concentrated on how it was like to be human. What my fingers felt like. How my hair fell in front of my face. What I looked like. How my heart and mind worked together to keep me alive. I concentrated about what it was like to embrace someone or what it was like to feel whole.

Happiness coursed through my form as I felt the ashes begin to move. They soon formed into fingers, then hands, then arms. After a few minutes my body was formed and I screamed as I felt every single ounce of pain all at once. Tears stung my now formed eyes and I could feel the blood running down my naked body.

I curled up in a ball, praying that the pain would stop but also concentrating on my form. The pain coursing through my body was worse than when it was being ripped apart. It was as if a thousand needles were sewing me back together with fire. I almost wanted to turn back into ashes.

When the cuts closed up and I finally could move a little, I began to struggle to my feet. It felt weird. It was like I didn't remember how to stand. I was holding onto the counter for support as my legs shook like crazy. It wasn't long before my legs gave out and I was once again on the floor.

"Damnit!" I shouted, punching the ground weakly. I tried to stand again and managed to stand a little. Most of my weight was put on the counter that I was leaning on. I somehow began to walk very clumsily and slowly. I looked at the stairs in front of me. How the hell was I going to get up them? This was going to be a challenge.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Luxord POV**

I kicked off my shoes as I walked into my house and dropped my keys on the table. Today was an interesting day. I got to see an old mate and I was yelled at by an emo, crazy midget. Today was definitely interesting.

I went to the fridge and grabbed a beer, glimpsing at the photo that I kept on the fridge. I smiled at the old picture and picked it up. The memories of the good old days ran through my mind and I suddenly had the urge to call up one of my old friends. It had been years since I talked to him and for a good reason too. He hated me. He never wanted to see my face again and all I wanted was to see him again.

I sighed and went over to the phone. I was asking for trouble today wasn't I? I dialed the numbers slowly and held the phone to my ear. Rationality and logical thoughts finally filled my brain and told me to hang up. I listened. I slammed the phone back down and casually walked over to the couch and drank my beer. I was better off without him.

oOoOoOoOoOo

**Xemnas POV**

It was easy killing all the guards to Castle Oblivion. They were weaker than abnormal humans. It only took a couple of seconds for my powers to kill them all.

I walked down to my office and sat in the chair near the desk. I looked through the notes I had kept locked in the drawers. I needed to check my notes. I had to see if I ever proved a specific theory. I prayed that I had proven it. I wanted to see him again. I had to see him again. When I learned that he had been destroyed, I felt so empty and lonely.

I grabbed the sheet of paper and skimmed down the line of proven theories. I almost thanked God when I saw that the theory had been proven. I would see him again, but as a child. He would probably be ten years old. I found out that when abnormal humans die, they reincarnate. Their age is determined by the strength of their power.

I leaned back in my chair and put the notes back into the drawer. I knew he was alive. All I needed to know now was where he was. Once I knew that I would go find him and he can return with me. Then we could get our revenge on that stupid pink haired menace and that pyro maniac. Once we did that then we could gather the abnormal humans together once again and 'convince' them to join us.

"Everything will go according to plan Saix," I said, as if he was right in front of me, "this world will be a better place soon."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Demyx POV**

Zexion had been screaming non-stop since yesterday afternoon. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see a horrifying vision that he wouldn't tell me about. He kept saying he was fine and everything was alright, but I knew he was lying. Whenever he was lying he would become overly affectionate.

This vision was affecting his health greatly. Whenever he woke up he would always need his inhaler and he looked as if he had a life threatening disease. He hadn't been sleeping and it had only been a day in a half since this happened! Stress affected Zexion quickly and it would almost become fatal if he had too much of it for too long. I learned this the hard way.

"Is daddy ok?" Vexen asked me. I looked at him from across the dinner table and smiled.

"Daddy will be fine. He's just having a lot of nightmares," I said, ruffling his hair.

"Mommy use to give me hot chocolate and sing to me when I had nightmares. Maybe that will help daddy."

"It might. You want to try it later?"

"Sure."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why do you call Zexion daddy?"

"Um he said I could call him that."

"Yeah I know that, but why do you call him daddy?"

"Cause he's like a dad."

"Really?"

"Mhmm."

"Aww that's so cute! I knew Zexy would be a good dad! He didn't believe me of course, but this proves him wrong!"

The happy and triumphant moment was cut off by Zexion's screams. I got up and told Vexen to stay here with Marluxia. I ran up the stairs to our bedroom and over to his bedside. I had to climb on top of him and pin his arms and legs down to get him to calm down. His eyes shot open, tears pouring out of them.

"What did you see?" I asked, staring into his eyes. He looked away, sobbing and crying.

"Kill me," He whispered, "please Demyx just kill me."

My heart sank when I heard his desperate request. I felt as if my own heart was being ripped out.

"Why would you ask me to do that?" I asked, holding back my own tears.

"Just kill me Demyx! Please! I can't take the pain anymore!" he screamed, struggling under my grip. It was then that I did something that I thought I would never do. I slapped Zexion across the face. I looked at him, tears falling down my face.

"Don't ever ask me to end your life ever again," I said. He looked at me, shocked that I had slapped him, and nodded.

"I'm sorry...I wasn't thinking," he whispered.

"Please tell me what you saw."

He shook his head and looked away. I knew I wasn't going to get him to tell me. I got off of him and held him gently. His arms hugged me tightly as he sobbed into my shirt and shook like crazy. What was making him act like this? What was he seeing? I wanted to make him feel better and to let him know that it would all be ok, but I couldn't. I couldn't help him. All I could do is hold him and tell him I loved him.

"I love you," I said.

There was no reply.


	10. Chapter 10 The Past

**Roxas POV**

Axel and I were sitting on the couch when we got the call. We had no idea what was going on. We just heard Demyx crying hysterically on the other end. We couldn't decipher his words. The only thing we heard was sobs and a name. Zexion's name. Axel somehow knew what was going on and grabbed my hand.

He dragged me out of the house and into his car. I didn't know what was going on! What had happened? Axel wouldn't answer me. He had this blank stare on his face and I could've sworn I saw a few tears run down his cheek.

The whole ride to Zexion and Demyx's house was silent. No music. No talking. Nothing. All you could hear was the sound of our breathing and the air conditioning. I was getting worried. Was Zexion hurt?

When we got there, Axel got out of the car and walked up to the house. He didn't say a word to me or even look to see if I was following, which I was. He opened the door and ran inside. Demyx was inside, holding Vexen and Marluxia. He was shielding their eyes from something. I didn't know what until I walked inside. I had smelled the blood from the door and now I knew why there was a strong scent of blood.

Axel immediately pulled me towards him and shielded my eyes. He was too late though. I had already seen the bloody body lying on the floor. I had already seen the soulless eyes that use to be filled with light and happiness. I had seen Zexion's dead body.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

It had been hours since the police escorted us out of the house and into the driveway. Demyx looked dead inside. Vexen was crying and Marluxia couldn't register what had just happened. He was only 2 years old after all. He probably didn't even know that Zexion was dead.

"What happened?" Axel asked Demyx for the fiftieth time. I knew he was a cop and all but now wasn't the time to ask Demyx what had happened.

"I don't know...I came home and...I saw him on the ground," Demyx said. More tears were escaping his eyes as he choked out the words.

"Were Vexen and Marluxia home?" Axel asked. Demyx nodded and tightened his grip on Vexen and Marluxia.

I couldn't stand this. Seeing Demyx like this was unbearable and I couldn't help but feel a tremendous amount of anger towards Zexion. I already knew why he was dead. I could tell by where the wounds were. Two deep gashes on each wrist. Those are the wounds of a suicide. Any moron could figure that out. Demyx was probably denying that Zexion killed himself and Axel probably already knew but he still had to ask questions.

"Roxas?" Axel asked as he I got up and started walking towards the house. He was calling my name and telling me to stop, but I didn't listen. I wasn't going to just sit there and not do anything. I could heal myself right? So who says that I can't heal other people? Even if they are dead.

I walked into the house, ignoring every cop that told me to leave and went up to Zexions body that was covered by a white sheet. A hand grabbed my shoulder, but once it came in contact with my body it pulled away as if it had received an electric shock. I didn't know why the man let go, but he did and that gave me the opportunity to rip the sheet off of Zexion and place one hand on his chest and the other on his wrists.

I tried to concentrate on who I wanted to heal and what I wanted to heal. I was beginning to wonder if this wasn't going to work, but the doubt left my mind as color began to return to Zexions face. I looked down at his wrists. The cuts were beginning to close and the bleeding had stopped.

I could hear Xigbar telling everyone to get out and slamming the door behind him. I owed him one. It would be hard to explain how I magically brought Zexion back to life.

When I heard that first breath come from Zexions mouth, I smiled and pulled away. I felt so dizzy and weak, but it was worth it to bring back a friend from the dead. I looked at Zexion and frowned at him. I had the strongest urge to slap him across the face right now, but I would leave that pleasure for Demyx.

"Huh? What?" Zexion asked, he sat up slowly and looked around then he looked at me, "Roxas?"

"Hey moron," I said, I couldn't help but cry a little.

"How am I alive?" he asked.

"I brought you back. I don't know how. I guess my powers have gotten stronger."

"Good to know."

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know damn well what!"

"Um...no I don't."

"Why did you kill yourself?"

"I didn't!"

"Don't lie Zexion! I know you did!"

"Roxas I really didn't! I know it looks like I did, but I didn't."

"Ok then how did you get those wounds?"

"...Would you believe me if I said I was possessed?"

"What?"

"Saix apparently has more than one power."

"Saix? What? I'm so confused!"

"I'll explain later. Can you get the others?"

"...Alright. I'll ask Xigbar if he can get rid of the cops."

"Thank you."

I got up and headed to the door. Xigbar was right by the door. I asked him if he could get rid of the cops and he nodded as he told everyone to leave except of course Demyx, Vexen, Marluxia and Axel. Within minutes all the cops left, including Xigbar.

Everyone headed inside and Demyx tackled Zexion. His tears wouldn't stop as he held onto the blue haired man as if his life depended on it. Vexen was smiling and crying as he sat next to Marluxia.

The happy moment ended when Demyx smacked Zexion across the face as hard as he could. He glared at the man as a finger poked his chest.

"DON'T. YOU. EVER. DO. THAT. AGAIN!" Demyx screamed.

"I didn't!" Zexion shouted back, rubbing his red cheek, "If you let me explain then you can know what happened!"

After many minutes of fighting, everyone sat down and waited for Zexion to get back downstairs. I was wondering what Zexions explanation was going to be and if it was real or not. It could just be something he made up so he wouldn't get in trouble for killing himself, but I doubt he would do that.

"Alright," Zexion said, coming down the stairs. He had changed into fresh clothing and he had cleaned up the dried up blood that was on his wrists, "you all know Saix right?"

"Of course. He was Xemnas' little guard dog," Axel said, his hand holding onto mine. I definitely knew Saix. His face still haunted my nightmares. He was the reason why Xion was dead.

"I was sleeping when Demyx went out. I hadn't slept in probably 3 days so I was exhausted. I woke up when I heard a crash from downstairs. I ran down there because I knew Vexen and Marluxia were down there. When I got there I saw Saix. He wasn't a toddler or a child like we thought he would be. He looked like he was around 10 and by the way he looked at me I was pretty sure he had all of his memories. He lunged at me and I think Vexen threw ice at him. I can't remember what happened after that. It's all a blur. I remember feeling cold and weak and I remember staring at him before I died," Zexion explained.

"So dog boy is loose and he's trying to kill us?" Axel asked.

"I'm assuming yes. He remembers everything and he probably knows where his dear Xemnas was. He wants revenge. I could tell," Zexion said.

"So what do we do?"

"We need to put a stop to this. We need to get Vexen and Marluxia back to their original selves and some how we need to capture Saix and use him as a bargaining chip."

"A bargaining chip?"

"Saix was important to Xemnas."

"How exactly do you know that?"

"...Stuff happened during my childhood. You can ask Xion and Larxene, but not me. I don't like talking about it."

"You seem to know a lot about Vexen, Marluxia and that little 'organization' that Xemnas created. Don't you think we need to know? You have to tell us."

He sighed and nodded. Demyx brought Vexen and Marluxia upstairs and came back down to listen to the story. What exactly happened in Zexion's childhood that made him know so much about Xemnas and his little 'organization'?

oOoOoOoOoOo

**Zexion POV**

"When I was young I lived in England for about a year or so. My father left us and my mother died from depression. I was in an orphanage and Xemnas 'adopted' me. He took me to Castle Oblivion and did his experiments. Then when he was finished he put me back into that orphanage. I lived there for another year until a man named Vexen came up to me and said he was a friend of my parents. I didn't remember him that well because I was young. He adopted me. Even though I was different and scared the other children and adults," I began. It was hard to remember exactly what had happened. It was so long ago, "When we came to his house I met another man named Marluxia Rose. Of course I didn't know at the time that Vexen and Marluxia were dating or that Marluxia was going to betray our little family in the future. Years went by and then Vexen and Marluxia found Xion. They brought her home and I had a little sister. Everything was fine in our lives. We had a nice little family and we all knew that we had special powers. Then one day Vexen got a call from Xigbar. I didn't understand at the time what was going on, but when they brought Larxene home I figured it out. Larxene had been another victim to Xemnas' experiments and accidentally burned down her house and parents. She had gotten angry or something and electricity shot out of her fingers and that started the fire."

There was a long pause before I started again. I was making sure that everyone was paying attention and soaking in this new information. They knew so many new things now. They knew I was adopted by Vexen and they knew I had lived with Marluxia, Xion and Larxene. It was hard talking about the old days. Everything was so great back then and then Marluxia and his stupid friend, Luxord, had to go ruin everything!

"...more years passed. I was about eleven maybe twelve. I became friends with everyone around this time. Marluxia came home late one night. I had woken up to the yelling and snuck downstairs to see what was going on. Vexen was yelling because of all the blood that coated Marluxia's body. It wasn't his own blood. He killed someone that night and every night before that. That's when things started to go down hill. The 'father' that I thought was my hero was actually the devil in disguise. Nothing interesting happened after that day until one day Vexen and Marluxia were out. They were working late at the school and it was just me, Xion and Larxene." I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't want to continue. This was the real day that Ienzo died. This is when all that happiness and sense of sanity disappeared. "Luxord knocked on the door. He was a friend of the family so I didn't think he would cause us any harm. I opened the door that day...and I was grabbed by Saix. His arm was around my neck and I couldn't breathe. I watched them throw Xion and Larxene into that truck and then they threw me in there. I was scared and gasping for air. I didn't have my inhaler with me. Then I heard Vexen screaming at Luxord and telling him to let us go. They fought and before I knew it, Saix was grabbing me out of the truck and threatening that he'd snap my neck if Vexen didn't back down. So he did." Demyx touched my hand and rubbed into soothingly. I hadn't even noticed that I was crying. I looked at Roxas and Axel. Both were pitying me. I could tell by the way they were looking at me. I didn't want their pity. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "I can't really remember much after that. Marluxia came once they were about to take us away and he threatened to kill them if they didn't let us go. They listened and set us free. I remember fainting from the lack of air. When I woke up Vexen explained everything to us. He said Marluxia was a traitor and that we shouldn't trust him or Luxord anymore. He even called Xigbar so he could get the cops to protect us from them. After a while we learned that Luxord wasn't one of the bad guys. He was a government agent who was undercover so he could find out what Xemnas was doing. He came back to us and told us everything. He told us Xemnas' weaknesses and his strengths. That's how I know that Saix is important to Xemnas. That's how I know a lot of stuff. I know that Xemnas is like us. He has a special power. He looks like he can't do anything but he could kill us all in a second. We have to stop him no matter what. It'll be hard, but we have to capture Saix somehow and use him as a bargaining chip. That's our only hope because I know for a fact that Xemnas is angry and he wants revenge. I've seen it in my visions."

The room was silent. That was probably the most I've ever said in the years that I have been living. I just poured out my whole life story to my friends and cried in front of them. That wasn't something Zexion would do...that's something Ienzo would do. Perhaps my old self was still inside me somewhere.

I looked at Demyx. His face was littered with tears and he was nodding. Everyone was. They all knew what we had to do and we all knew that it was probably going to be impossible to capture Saix, but we had to try.

"So what's the plan?" Axel asked.

"First we have to get Vexen and Marluxia back to their original selves," I said.

"And how do we do that?"

"We need two people. Luxord and Namine."

"What can they do?"

"Luxord controls time. He could age their bodies back to their ages. As for Namine. She can bring back their memories."

"Wait a sec. I thought Xemnas only messed with 13 people."

"That is false. Xemnas experimented on a lot of people. Namine was a 'failed' experiment or so he thought. She didn't get her powers right away like the rest of us. It took her a year to get them."

"And how do you know this?"

"Did I not just tell you that Luxord was an undercover government agent? When he told us everything he really did tell us EVERYTHING."

"Oh...well that makes sense. How do you plan on getting Luxord and Namine to help?"

"Namine is friends with Larxene. She'll gladly help us out. As for Luxord. I know just what to do to get him to help us."

"And that is?"

"I have a bargaining chip for him as well. Get me a phone and stage one of our plan will begin."

Axel handed me the phone and handed it to me. I gladly took it and smirked as I began to dial the numbers. There was only one person that Luxord could never say no to and lucky for us I knew that person very well. He was friends with Xigbar and Vexen and he loved our family. We actually thought of him as an uncle, but he rarely came over.

"Hello?" the voice asked.

"Hi," I said.

"Zexion?"

"Yep."

"You never call. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you calling?"

"I need to ask you a favor."

"What's this favor?"

"I know you hate him, but could you please talk to Luxord?"

"...Why?"

"I need his help and he's not generous enough to actually help without something in return."

"So you want me to convince him to help you?"

"Yes."

"How do you expect me to convince him?"

"I think you already know."

"...I'm going to regret this."

"You may not. I know you both still like each other. A date might make things better between you two."

"I suppose so."

"So you'll help us?"

"Of course."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Good bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and smiled at the group. They all looked extremely confused.

"Who was that?" Roxas asked.

I smirked, "Xaldin."


	11. Chapter 11 Possession

**Roxas POV**

Yesterday was eventful. Zexion died, I brought him back and then we learned about his past and part of Xion's, Larxene's, Vexen's and Marluxia's. I felt bad for Zexion and the others. I had learned a lot of new things about my friends that I didn't know before.

"You in there Roxas?" Axel asked as he ruffled my hair. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him, smiling as I did. His lips curved into that smile that always made my heart melt.

"Sorry. Was I zoning out again?" I asked. He pecked my forehead, my cheeks instantly become pink.

"Yeah but that's good because I know that your brain is working."

My smile grew wider as he looked into my eyes. Then suddenly I frowned and looked away. A while ago Axel had shown me how much he loved me and I had promised myself that I would show him. I wanted to show him and I knew exactly how to. The question was...when was I going to show him?

For the first time in a while I let my body chose instead of my heart. I was suddenly straddling Axel and pinning his arms down. Whoa wait what? _I_ was pinning _his_ arms down? Since when does that happen! I looked at him. His eyes were filled with shock and confusion. He was probably trying to figure out what possessed me to do this randomly.

"Roxas?" he asked, staring into my eyes, "any reason why you're pinning me down?"

"I don't even know why I am...I just did it," I said, averting eye contact as I bit my lip. He easily broke my grasp and sat up, cupping my cheek as he smirked.

"Did you want to do something?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. I knew what he was thinking and he was right. I did want to do...that, but I wanted to do it my way. The way I've dreamed of doing but never really did with Axel. I looked at him and nodded slowly, "What do you want to do?"

"You'll find out if you lay back down," I said. Where the hell did that come from? What demon possessed me? I looked at Axel. My eyes widened a little as I watched him lay back down. He actually listened?

"Do what you wanted to do," he said, smirking at me. I reached over to the pillow that was next to Axel. I picked it up and I reached for the handcuffs, dangling them in front of him. I knew he always hid them there. Kinky bastard.

"Whatcha gonna do with those?" he asked, flashing that seductive smile at me. I could tell that he was excited and curious. I was planning on keeping him wondering until it was too late for him to talk his way out of it.

"If you shut up then you'll find out," I said, leaning down to kiss him. He immediately deepened the kiss and attempted to wrap his arms around me, but I wouldn't allow it. I pinned down his arms once again and bit his lip. He hissed and struggled against my grip, but for the first time ever I was stronger than he was. I had no idea how that was possible. Maybe it was adrenaline. I didn't know nor did I care. I was in control for once.

I pulled away and smirked at him. For a second there I thought fear was in his eyes. I forced him to put his arms behind his back and then put the cuffs on him. I could tell that he didn't like that because of the glare he was shooting at me. All I did was flash him a triumphant smile and run my hands down his arms. He shivered, but he didn't break the eye contact between us.

"I knew nothing good could come from handcuffs if you were the one holding them," he said, struggling against the handcuffs.

"What? You don't like not being able to touch me?" I asked in a...seductive tone! Where the fuck was this all coming from! I didn't even know that this side of me existed!

Axel growled and tried to sit up, but failed miserably. I pressed our lips together roughly and trailed soft kisses from his lips to his neck. I bit down hard on his neck, earning me a...moan? Axel moaned! I made him moan! Holy crap!

My hands went down his muscular chest, feeling every curve of the muscle that was there. Soft fingers trailed down his stomach and went under the hem of his pants. I could sense the impatience coming from Axel. He jerked his hips up. A not so subtle way of telling me that he couldn't stand the torture anymore. I leaned down and pressed my lips against his ear.

"If you keep doing that you won't get what you want," I whispered. Like an obedient dog, Axel remained still and waited. I smirked and kissed his lips once more as my hands undid his belt and pants.

I looked at him and pulled away, smiling sweetly to him. He had this lustful look in his eyes that made me want him even more. That's when my brain decided to shut down. I suddenly felt so dizzy and sick. What was happening to me? Two seconds ago I felt so confident and strong and now I felt like I was sick.

"Roxas?" he asked, sitting up, "are you ok?"

I couldn't understand what he was saying. It sounded like I was underwater or something like that. The room was spinning and I couldn't really breathe right. What was happening to me?

"Roxas," he said, touching my cheek. When did he get the handcuffs off? He probably had a bobby pin or a key somewhere, "look at me."

I didn't look at him. Instead my body decided to give out and I starting falling. Fortunately Axel caught me before I hit the ground.

"Roxas what's wrong?" Axel asked, supporting my head with his hand and caressing my cheek. I couldn't speak. I suddenly felt so weak and I was shaking from the pain that was coursing through my body.

Suddenly I heard a voice in my head. It was a voice I had heard before but when? I couldn't remember whose voice it was.

_"Hello again Roxas," the voice said._

_ "Who are you?" I thought._

_ "We met before. It was a short visit unfortunately. I was blown up by that stupid little experiment."_

_ "Blown up?...wait...you're Saix aren't you!"_

_ "Very good Roxas."_

_ "Why are you in my head?"_

_ "Well I need to get into my victims head before I possess them."_

_ "Possess?"_

_ "Yes. I'm about to possess you. Hope you don't mind."_

_ "Um I actually do. So go away before I force you out."_

_ "You cannot force me out. You don't have a strong enough mind to force me out."_

_ "I can try."_

_ "Try all you like, but you will not succeed."_

_ "...why do you even want to possess me?"_

_ "I need to keep an eye on your little group of abnormal humans. If I possess you then I can get information. Hope you have a nice nap."_

_ "GET OUT OF MY MIND!"  
"Good Bye Roxas."_

I could feel my mind being pulled into a dormant state. I started thrashing my body around, trying to get him out of my head. I was losing the fight. Each second that passed was bringing me closer into a mind coma. I couldn't let Saix win! I wouldn't let him win!

...He won...

oOoOoOoOoOo

**? POV**

I still don't know how, but somehow I made it up the stairs and now I was in my old room searching for clothes. They were a bit small but they would have to do until I buy new ones. Right now I had to find my brother and let him know I was alive.

I slipped on the tiny clothes and started walking towards the door. I was getting use to walking again. I opened the door and looked around. Last time I saw my brother he was staying at his friend's house. I doubt he was still staying there. I was going to have to go to one of his friend's house and ask them where he was staying.

"This is going to be a long day," I said, frowning.

oOoOoOoOoOo

**Vexen POV**

_ "I love you," the angel said, "I will always love you Vexen. No matter what happens."_

I opened my eyes slowly. Why was I having dreams about that same man that looked like an older Marluxia? Were the dreams actually memories? They probably were. Daddy said that the memories that I use to have were going to return slowly. I was kinda scared to remember the old memories. What was I going to see? So far all I remember was the man from my dreams. That wasn't bad at all, but those memories were probably going to turn into bad ones that my older self probably didn't want to remember. I hope that the bad memories aren't that bad and I hope that I get more of the good memories than the bad.

"Vexen come down please! Xaldin is here," daddy called from downstairs.

"Coming!" I said, climbing off my bed and heading downstairs. I walked over to Daddy and looked at the man that was standing next to him.

"Vexen this is Xaldin," Daddy said, gesturing to the big man with long black dread locks.

"Hello," I said.

"You got to be kidding me," Xaldin said.

"I kid you not," Daddy said, "this is Vexen."


	12. Chapter 12 I Promise

**A/N: I'd like to thank my girlfriend (because we actually role-played this part XD)**

**Axel POV**

I stared down at Roxas. He looked as if he was having a fight inside himself and I couldn't do anything to help him. He was extremely pale and he was sweating like crazy. What was going on in that head of his?

Suddenly his eyes snapped open and color had returned to his face. He looked at me and smiled, touching my face gently. What the heck? Wasn't he just in pain?

"Roxas?" I asked, touching the hand that was on my cheek. He didn't speak. He sat up and pressed his lips against mine. Something was wrong. This wasn't right. This wasn't how Roxas kissed. It was different.

I gently pushed him away and looked at him. The look in his eyes was different. They looked dead and filled with hate. This wasn't Roxas. I frowned and glared at him. I knew who it was and there was no way I was going to let him stay in Roxas.

"Get the fuck out of my boyfriend," I said.

"W-What? What are you talking about Axel?" Roxas asked.

"I know this isn't Roxas. You can't fool me Saix."

"W-What? I'm not Saix! What's wrong with you Axel?"

"Shut up! Stop acting! I know it's you Saix!"

I tackled him and pinned his arms down on the bed, glaring down at him. I could see the anger in his eyes and the desire to hurt me.

"I know my boyfriend. This isn't him," I said. A dark laugh came from the little blond underneath me. It was so weird to hear that laugh come from Roxas.

"So you figured me out. You know your little blond well," Roxas said, smiling evilly, "So you know I'm Saix. So what? You can't do anything to me. If you hurt me then you hurt Roxas."

"Roxas' body can heal," I said. I couldn't believe that I was about to do this. I began to concentrate on the heat that was within my body. I could feel it slowly creep its way away from my heart and down my arms. Finally the heat gathered in my hands and began to heat up to a burning temperature.

I looked at Roxas' face. Pain was painted across his angelic face and I could see the tears brimming in his eyes. I increased the temperature and soon enough I heard a shriek escape Roxas' mouth. I hated myself. Even though it wasn't Roxas, it still sounded like him.

"Stop it Axel!" Roxas screamed. _It's just Saix playing mind games. Don't listen,_ I said to myself, "Axel please stop! It hurts!"

"Shut up!" I shouted. The scream became louder when I turned up the heat, "Get out of Roxas now!"

I didn't have to repeat myself. Seconds later, Roxas' body became limp and his eyes closed. I immediately stopped burning him and lifted his head, gently brushing my hand against his cheek.

"Roxas?" I whispered. Those beautiful blue eyes opened and looked at me.

"Ah...ow...my wrists hurt," he said, "what happened? I thought Saix possessed me."

"I got him out. I'm sorry...I had to use my fire to drive him out."

"It's alright. I'll heal."

He smiled at me and gently brushed his lips against mine. I smiled at him and looked at his wrists. They were already beginning to heal.

"We have to tell the others about this," he said, "he might go after one of them. He already went after me and Zexion."

"I agree. Let's go to Zexion and Demyx's house first. Then we'll go tell Larxene and Xigbar," I said.

"Alright."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Roxas POV**

I rubbed my wrists, trying to get them to heal faster. I was getting annoyed that Axel kept looking at them the whole care ride to Zexion and Demyx's house.

"Axel stop looking at my wrists!" I said finally when we were at the front door.

"I can't help it..." he said sadly.

"They will heal ok? Don't feel guilty. You did what you had to do to get Saix out of my body. So stop feeling bad."

"...fine."

He knocked on the door and waited for Zexion or Demyx to answer the door. Of course Zexion was the one who answered. He always answered the door for some strange reason.

"Oh hello," Zexion said, "I don't mean to be rude, but why are you guys here?"

"Can we come in?" Axel asked.

"Um...sure," Zexion replied, moving to the side so we could enter. We walked into the house and sat down on the couch. Zexion followed us and sat down in one of the armchairs next to mini-vex.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Well Saix just possessed Roxas. That's what's up," Axel said.

"He what?"

"He possessed Roxas. Obviously I got him out."

"And how did you do that?"

"...I hurt him with my fire."

"Oh...and that worked?"

"Obviously!"

"Alright just asking! Why are you telling me this anyway?"

"We're warning everyone. He's already possessed you and Roxas. We gotta tell the others about him."

"I agree. Do you know where Saix is now?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Didn't think so."

Zexion looked to his left and smiled at mini-vex. The little blond was tugging on his sleeve and looking at him.

"Um Zexion?" Vexen asked.

"Yes?" Zexion asked.

"May I go upstairs to Demyx and Marluxia?"

"Sure."

Vexen got off the armchair and headed up the stairs, leaving the rest of us behind. I didn't like the look on Axels or Zexions face.

"Was I the only one who sensed that?" Zexion asked, looking at the stairs.

"No, I sensed it too," Axel said, looking at Zexion.

"We don't have proof that it is him yet."

"Then we'll wait and see what happens."

Did I miss something? What the heck were they talking about! I looked at the both of them, waiting for someone to explain what they were talking about. I didn't get that explanation. All I got was silence and then the sound of a scream.

That's when Zexion dashed up the stairs, Axel following him. What the hell just happened?

oOoOoOoOoOo

**Zexion POV**

I ran up the stairs the second I heard that scream. I knew that scream too well. It was Demyx. Axel and I had been correct with our assumption that Vexen had been possessed by Saix. How Saix managed to possess Vexen without us knowing, I'll never know.

I ran into the guest bedroom, the one that wasn't occupied by Vexen, and went over to Demyx. He was clawing at his throat, trying to gasp in air. I lifted his head and looked into his eyes.

"Demyx what's wrong?" I asked. He didn't answer me. I didn't expect him to. I turned to Axel, "go get Roxas."

"Alright," Axel said, running out of the room and down the stairs. I turned back to Demyx and brushed his hair out of his face.

"You're going to be ok Demyx. I promise," I said, tears brimming in my own eyes as I kissed his forehead. I gently rocked him and kept telling him he would be ok.

The sound of rushed footsteps echoed in my ears. Seconds later Roxas and Axel had come into the room. Roxas ran over to me and Demyx and placed his hands on Demyx's throat.

After a few seconds, Demyx gasped in air and began to steady his breaths. I sighed in relief and kissed Demyx's cheek, thanking Roxas as he went back over to Axel.

"What happened?" I asked Demyx once he had gotten his breathing steady and was sitting up.

"Vexen...h-he..." Demyx choked out, "he put his hands on my neck a-and I think he put ice in my wind pipe. I don't know. I just remember him putting his hands on my neck and then I couldn't breathe."

I rubbed his back comfortingly and held his hand. "Alright. That wasn't Vexen. Well it was, but not really. It was Saix. He possessed Vexen," I said.

"Why would he do that?" Demyx asked.

"I don't kn-...Demyx where's Marluxia?"

"What?"

"Where is Marluxia?"

"He should be on the bed."

I got up and walked over to the bed. He wasn't there. I looked around the room. He wasn't there. He wasn't anywhere. That could only mean one thing. Vexen took him.

"Roxas stay with Demyx. Axel come with me," I said, grabbing Axel's arm and dragging him out of the room with me. We went down the stairs and out the door.

"Vexen has Marluxia doesn't he?" Axel asked.

"Yes," I simply replied.

"We're going after him?"

"Of course."

Axel and I got into his car and began to drive towards where Vexen was. We didn't know where we were going. We were trusting our powers to guild us to him. We turned the corner and found them. I didn't expect Vexen to get far. He had short legs and he was carrying a two year old. Of course he wasn't going to go far.

"How are we going to get Saix out of him?" I asked Axel, "We can't use your fire. Vexen can't heal and he's ice. You might kill him if you use your fire."

"We won't hurt him physically then. Use your illusions to drive Saix out," Axel said. I nodded and got out of the car. I went up to Vexen, keeping a reasonable distance from him.

"Hello Zexion," Vexen said, smiling. That smile was creepy on a five year old, "if you plan on hurting me then it isn't going to work. Vexen can't heal."

"I'm highly aware of that Saix," I said, "I don't use physical violence. I use mental violence."

I closed my eyes, thinking of what would make Saix go insane and forming the pictures in my mind. Once I got the images in my head, I flicked my wrists and sent the illusions. I opened my eyes and looked at Vexen.

"Ah!" Vexen said, falling to his knees. That's when I knew that he got the illusions. This wasn't going to be a pretty sight, "Ah! D-Daddy stop it!"

"You can't fool me Saix. I know it's not Vexen," I said, sending more of the illusions.

"Ah! Daddy! Please stop it! Please!" Vexen screamed, tears pouring from his eyes. He was grabbing at his hair and curling into a ball on the ground, twitching furiously.

"Stop it! You can't fool me!" I had finally lost it. I was beyond angry at Saix. I sent more terrifying illusions towards him, never breaking eye contact with the little blond. More cries and screams came from him as his body thrashed around. I just stood there and watched, feeling disgusted with myself.

"DADDY! PLEASE STOP IT! PLEASE!" Vexen screamed. I sent a few more illusions towards him. That's when the screams stopped and everything became quiet. Vexen laid there with his eyes staring into space. He was motionless and breathing at a steady pace again.

I sighed in relief. I began to walk over to him. That's when I heard a dark laugh come from Vexen. I stopped in my tracks and looked at him. He got up and smiled evilly at me.

"You should've listened to poor little Vexen," he said.

"W-What?" I asked.

"I used your little 'son' as a mind shield."  
"Y-You mean...t-that was..."

"Yes. That was really Vexen screaming for you to stop."

"Y-You used him as a mind shield?"

"Yes. I did. You drove your 'son' into insanity. Congratulations. Aren't you a terrific father?"

I stood there, shaking with anger for Saix and myself. How could I not know that it was Vexen that was asking me to stop? I looked at Vexen and began to conjure up more illusions.

"Shut the fuck up!" I shouted, flicking my wrists and sending more illusions towards him. I was one-hundred percent sure that it was Saix this time. I could tell by the way he was shrieking. If only I had realized that it was really Vexen screaming and not Saix, "Suffer you miserable mutt!"

I watched Vexen drop to his knees once again, pulling at his hair. It wasn't long before he flopped down onto the ground and his eyes closed. I ran over to him and picked him up, tears streaming down my face as I looked at his face.

"I'm sorry Vexen," I said, hugging him tightly, "I'm so sorry."

"Isn't that sweet," a voice said. I turned around quickly and saw a boy with blue hair and yellow eyes. I could only assume that it was Saix. He looked about 9 maybe 10 years old, "you're apologizing to someone whose mind is already gone. He won't hear you."

"You bastard. You did this," I said.

"No I believe you did. You're the one who kept sending illusions."

"You're the one who used his mind as a shield, you sick, demented, poor excuse for a human being!"

"I wouldn't talk if I wear you. I could easily kill you and Vexen."

"But you won't."

"And why is that?"

"Because I got a gun pointed to your head," Axel said, smirking. Saix turned his head slowly, glaring at Axel. Axel grabbed Saix's arms and put the handcuffs around his wrists, "you're under arrest for being a dickhead."

Saix growled as he was dragged away by Axel and forced into the car. I looked at Vexen and held him close to me as I walked to the car. I got into the passenger seat and cradled the small blond in my arms.

"He'll be fine," Axel said, putting Marluxia on his lap.

"No he won't," I said.

"What?"

"Saix...used his mind as a shield when I was sending illusions to him. Vexen got all of those illusions...i drove him into insanity..."

"...we'll figure out a way to get him back."

"I pray that we do...if we don't...i won't be able to live with myself."

"We will bud. I promise."


	13. Chapter 13 Explainations

**Zexion POV**

The very short car ride home was unbearable. I couldn't stop looking at Vexen. I had never felt so much self loathing before until now. I wanted to rip my own heart out.

"Zex, I'm going to get Saix into the house. Can Marluxia walk?" Axel asked.

"Of course he can. He's two," I said.

"Alright," Axel said. He looked at Marluxia, "c'mon Marly. Let's go into the house."

I got out of the car and watched Axel drag Saix into the house, Marluxia following them. I slowly began walking towards the door. I didn't want to go in there and tell Demyx that I had drove Vexen into insanity by accident. I couldn't do that. I couldn't look at Demyx and tell him, but I had to.

I walked into the house and gently laid Vexen on the couch. I looked over at Axel. He had knocked out Saix and was now throwing him onto the armchair. Marluxia came over to me and looked at Vexen. I ruffled his hair and gave him a weak smile.

"Vexen is just sleeping," I said. The toddler looked at me and smiled. It was easy to lie to a two year old. I walked up the stairs and stared at the door in front of me. I could hear Demyx and Roxas talking on the other side. I didn't want to go in there looking like I wanted to die and tell Demyx what had happened.

I slowly reached for the doorknob, holding my breath as the seconds ticked away. I gripped it firmly and opened the door. The talking came to a stop when the door creaked opened. The smile on Demyx's face wiped away once he looked at me. I didn't even realize that I was crying until Demyx asked me what was wrong.

"Demyx...can I speak with you alone?" I asked. I could barely control myself. My voice was shaking and so was my body.

"Are you ok Zexion?" Demyx asked.

"Just come with me please."

He nodded and walked out into the hall with me. He gently touched my cheek and looked me in the eyes.

"Demyx...I...I accidentally...made Vexen insane," I choked out the words. I couldn't even look at Demyx. I was too afraid to see what was in his eyes. He was probably afraid of me now and was probably extremely upset about Vexen. Demyx always loved kids and he thinks of Vexen and Marluxia as our children.

"H-How did that happen?" Demyx asked. I explained how Saix had used Vexen's mind as a shield when I was sending illusions. Demyx did nothing but hugged me and said it wasn't my fault. Liar. It was my fault. I should have known that it was Vexen that was crying for me to stop. I should have stopped, but I didn't because I was too stupid to realize that it was really Vexen that I was hurting. I would forever hate myself. I won't rest until Vexen is back to normal.

"So...how do we get Vexen's mind back?" Demyx asked, gently petting me.

"I don't know," I said, resting my head on his shoulder, "...I have a theory that might work..."

"What is it?"

"Remember when my mind was lost because of that horrible vision I had?"

"How could I forget? You wouldn't snap out of it."

"But I did when you started talking to me. I snapped back into reality when I heard your voice because I found the will to come back."

"So what is your theory?"

"My theory is maybe people who are in a bad mental state can get out of that mental state if the person they love the most is talking to them."

"So you want Marluxia to talk to Vexen?"

"Yes, but he's just a child. We need Marluxia to be a grown up for this."

"Why?"

"When Vexen sleeps, he becomes the Vexen that we all knew. Right now he's kinda asleep so he's the Vexen we all knew. If he heard Marluxia's voice as a grown up then he'd react to that. If he heard the 2 year old Marluxia's voice then he won't know its Marluxia."

"Oh, so how do we get Marly back to normal?"

"I already told you. We need Luxord and Namine. Xaldin was here earlier. We were discussing how he would convince Luxord to help."

"How did that go?"

"Xaldin has agreed to help us. He's going to bribe Luxord with a date."

"A date?"

"They use to like each other, maybe even love each other. I know that they still do, but they deny it."

"Why did they break up?"

"Let's just say that Xaldin didn't agree with Luxord's career choice."

"Oh...so when is this plan going into action?"

"Tomorrow."

"Ok. You should sleep."

"I'm not tired."

"That's a lie. I know you haven't been sleeping Zexion. You look exhausted. Please sleep."

"...fine...I'll try."

"Thank you."

He pecked me on the lips and let go of me. I looked at him and then headed into the bedroom. Tonight was going to be hell.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**? POV**

This was certainly annoying. None of my brother's friends were home. How the heck was I going to find out where he lived now? I could always look him up I guess, but what if he changed his last name or something like that?

I decided to go back into the house and wait until morning to go to his friend's houses again. I had to find my brother and sister. Maybe they could tell me where mommy and daddy were and why they weren't in the house.

I went up to my old bedroom and lay down on the bed. I remembered when my parents adopted me. I was 12. They introduced me to my brother and we became great friends immediately. We were so close, but everything started to fall apart when daddy left. Mommy never smiled after daddy left and my brother left us.

It was depressing to see mommy so sad. I wanted to make mommy smile, but that was a task I could never do. Mommy wanted daddy back, but daddy never did come back. We will forever be a broken family.

oOoOoOoOoOo

**Xemnas POV**

I sat on my bed and drummed my fingers on the mattress. I had never been an impatient man, but I couldn't help but feel anxious as I sat there, waiting for him to return to me. I was hoping that he would find his way back here, memories or not, but I knew he wouldn't. I would have to go and find him myself, but where to begin my search? Where would Saix go? I didn't know. Now that I thought about it, I didn't know anything about Saix except that his name is Saix and that he was friends with Marluxia and Luxord when they were in high school.

When Saix got back I would have to find out more things about him. I wanted to know him better. I wanted to know who he was. I didn't know why I wanted to know all these things. I just felt like I had to get to know him. Maybe it was because I had started to develop strange feelings for him. I didn't know what these feelings were, but they had made me become attached to Saix. I felt so lonely and empty without him. I felt like a piece of me was missing and he held that piece. It was truly a very strange feeling, but it was a feeling I was embracing.


	14. Chapter 14 Marluxia's Story

A/N:

**Nalyx: Hey guys :D so yeah don't kill me buuuut I'm not longer writing Heal. Sorry! BUT do not worry! My girlfriend (TheSnowAngel) is going to be taking over the story! :D yay for you guys! So yeah. I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter that she's written!**

**SnowAngel:** **I wanna say thanks to everyone, I'll still be doing my own stuff too but it will take a while to get done 'cause I'm in college and high school... and a play XD, I'd like it dedicated to Nalyx for doing an awesome job the first thirteen chapters.**

**Nalyx: no pressure or anything Snow, but if you fuck up this story then I'll come after you with a pitchfork :) love you baby! ^^**

Zexion POV

"I don't think this is a good idea-"

"Nonsense love, he'll be fine-"

"No I really think-"

There were annoying voices. Correction, only one was annoying. It was bad enough I heard voices in my sleep, now I get them waking up too- Wait. I'm awake. What the fu- "Who the hell-"

I sat up and was greeted by a strange sight; My boyfriend, hovering nervously by the door, his teal eyes flitting between me and the other blonde who was currently sitting on my bed.

A very British, bastard of a blonde. He cocked his head and flashed me his usual crooked smile.

"'Ello love. Uncle Luxy's back." He said in a half-sarcastic tone.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

We went downstairs to get some food. When we had all been set up, Luxord was across the table from us, with Dem and me on the living room couch. Luxord looked at us, trying to figure out what exactly we had wanted.

"So… Why am I here?"

I sighed. "We need your help-"

He laughed.

"Are you kidding? That's how you got Xaldin to call me? On a favor?"

He got quiet after that for a moment, then looked back up.

"I assume this has to do with the "kids" then."

I flinched. "Yes." I started slowly. "We need them to remember everything again, and return to their adult bodies. Naturally, that calls for Namine and-"

"And me." He interrupted.

I glared at him. "Precisely."

"Well then," He stretched, standing, "Let's have a look at the kids, shall we? Guess we start with Ve-"

"Marluxia," Demyx and I both interrupted him, making him cock an eyebrow before going silent and glaring at me. "… What?" I asked.

"What have you done, Zexion?" He asked me quietly.

I couldn't speak. I felt as if the guilt had just been newly made again. His eyes didn't leave mine, but I knew he knew from the look on his face.

"… Show me." He said.

Numbly, I rose from the couch and led him to Vexen's room. He sat by his bed for a few moments, looking at the boy. If you didn't know better, Vexen could've just been asleep… but his face would tell you he was having a nightmare. One he couldn't wake up from.

"My fault…" I whispered. I felt Dem's arms around me again. Luxord turned to look at me, and led us out of the room.

"There is no need to call for Namine," He said quietly.

"What- yes there is, his memories-"

"Have returned," He turned to look at us, both frozen in shock. "You don't see what nightmares you give people… do you."

I shook my head. I didn't see what had gone into Vexen's head- I didn't watch what tortured most people. I liked to retain _some_ sanity at the end of the day. Luxord sighed.

"You and Namine are more alike then you know. Namine was created in order to be the new you."

I jumped a little at that. "How is that possible?" I asked, whispering.

"It's been done before. Some of the people you know now are replicas of old fighters of Xemnas' army. For example, I was not the original keeper of time I found out. The one who had power over time before me was called Aurora, if I remember correctly. A few of your friends are duplicates."

Demyx announced he was going to get Marluxia and sit down before he fainted and walked away. Demyx was never good with surprises like that really.

I looked back to Luxord. "So… What does this mean?"

He stared at me. "Well, obviously, it means you have the power to un-lock memories… But you always have focused on the bad ones. You need to let them remember good ones as well, or else…" He trailed off, and I realized what he had meant. If I didn't do it right, then the person would turn out like Vexen did. Tortured by their own- … Their own memories.

"Any how, I think that you'll do better next time, and we'll be able to turn Marluxia back in maybe a few hours-"

"No." Luxord looked shocked at the coldness in my voice. I knew I was, but the fury kept me from realizing it. "I will NOT mind-fuck another child, so help me God."

"…Zexion?"

I turned, and regretted it. There stood Marluxia, looking up at me. I realized this had been the first time I had heard him speak.

"Zexion? … Is that why Vexen won't wake up? Because you accidentally hurt him?" He asked.

It hurt to see the innocence in his eyes. He finally spoke- and the moment was ruined by his words.

"…Yes," I finally answered, "But we can fix him."

He looked thoughtfully at me before responding.

"We can fix him. You and me, together."

His words took me by surprise. How could the people who BROKE Vexen ever fix him again? "I don't follow," I murmured.

"Because of your powers and who he is." Luxord stated quietly. "He must have heard you talking about the plan before."

I made a mental note to soundproof the walls later. I turned back to Luxord, only to be pulled back again by a small hand. His light blue eyes meet mine.

"…Do it," He whispered.

"What?"

"I want to help him, "He answered simply. "I need to protect my Vexen."

I looked down, remembering how he'd say that back a long time ago, when we were a happy family. I got to my knees, and covered his eyes with my hand.

"This will hurt," I said quietly.

"This will _help_," Marluxia corrected me, and I began.

--

Pain.

I never knew Marluxia had seen so much pain in his life. I saw his childhood go by- How he watched his older sister, Belle, disappear forever, and his other sister, Lynda, die at twenty-two with a bullet in her heart. I saw his transformation into what he was now, is powers becoming one with him. I saw his years in high school- plagued by the feeling he was a monster, with only two friends by his side. I found myself shocked at seeing a younger Luxord and Saix on either side of him, sharing good times with bad. I felt the bitterness and worry when we watched Saix walk away and get into a car. I saw three years go by in loneliness. But then… I found myself in a room. A bar. I remembered it as Xaldin's Bar (Named that, stupidly enough), since I had grown up at times in here. I saw Luxord flirting with the bar tender- Xaldin. I watched as Xigbar attempted to win a drinking contest with Lexeaus- both much younger. And I saw, sitting alone at a table, a young blonde man, drinking a glass of some kind of liquid I couldn't identify. I saw a younger version of Marluxia cross the room and sit down across from the man. As he lifted his eyes, I could see it was Vexen.

Suddenly, the memories came with less difficulty. Vexen and Marluxia spending time together, Marluxia moving into Vexen's apartment, buying a house together. I saw the day Vexen carried me in. My breath hitched as I felt the complete joy Marluxia had felt when he had realized we were going to be a family. I had always doubted if he had truly wanted us there once he had left, but as I watched our times together as a family of three, I realized he'd wanted us to be a family as much as Vexen and I had. I started crying, but looked on, un-locking what needed to be seen.

I saw Xion's arrival, and my introduction to her. I felt a sense of pride that Marluxia's memories were tinted in when he saw me acting as an older brother to her. I felt the pang of sadness as Larxene walked into the family, a victim of our… conditions. I watched us all grow. And I saw something I never remembered before- something that made me realize why Marluxia had lost his way.

Marluxia watched as the children left for school. He smiled, watching the three disappear into the bus. He turned to go inside when he heard a crash downstairs. He rushed to find that Vexen was being held at gun point in the lab- which was really their other kitchen, but was not used as any kitchen should ever be used.

"_Look blondie, I just want the cash-"_

"_There is nothing of value here, please leave before I contact the authorities." Vexen calmly said._

_Marluxia saw Vexen clench his fist, and knew the robber was about to get iced down. Vexen froze the gun with a wave of his fingers, and the robber looked up, frightened._

"_You… You're a freak! A monster!" He cried out._

_Marluxia snarled. No one called his Vexen a monster and lived to tell the tale. But he never expected what happened next. The robber pulled out a switch blade, and before Vexen could move, he stabbed him in the chest. He did this three more times, and then found himself restrained by a very thorny vine._

_It crushed his neck before he had time to scream. Marluxia ran to Vexen, bleeding on the floor, and rushed him to the hospital._

I saw Xemnas approach him in the hospital, and ask Marluxia to join up to destroy the real monsters, and suddenly, I understood. I almost wanted to join too. Marluxia did it to protect his family, a reason I could easily respect.

I watched him descend into his madness, climaxing when he was thrown out of the house by Vexen after confessing he had killed people. I felt Marluxia's heartbreak as Vexen's tear covered face slammed the door in his. I looked away as Marluxia was taken over by Saix and forced to rape Roxas to use as a trigger to off-set his powers, and Axel's. I saw Marluxia battle Vexen, watched him burn the first time, and felt Marluxia's tears as my own as his actions hurt him. I felt the ocean rush up to meet us as Marluxia jumped off a cliff. I saw a younger version of myself and my friends talk to Marluxia. I couldn't look on as his father's died in one another's arms again. As I looked down, I realized throughout this entire time, I'd been holding the younger Marluxia's hand. I watched the boy cry silently for a moment, then dropped his hand, realizing the memories had finished.

I collapsed into sleep.

--

I woke up to Demyx holding his hand.

"I was worried about you, so I thought I'd come here." He said.

I stretched. "How long have I been out?" I asked him.

"Ten minutes after, but your trip down memory lane took you about six or seven hours." A drawl sounded from the door. I turned my head to see a man I hadn't expected.

"…Marluxia…" I whispered in astonishment. "How?"

"Luxord takes less time then you it seems," He quipped, coming over to sit next to me on the bed. We looked at each other for a minute before he took a breath and began again.

"I'm sor-"

I pinned him in a hug of death. Not very dignifying, admittedly, but still, we n=both needed one. He hugged back after a moment's hesitation.

"… Never again?" I asked.

"Never. Again." He responded, hugging me tighter. I believed him.

Marluxia POV

We stayed like that for a while before Zexion asked if I was ready to help Vexen. I nodded. I couldn't get the words out. We walked to Vexen's room, and Zexion opened the door, and ushered me in. I exchanged a look with him, and he reluctantly closed the door behind me. I had to do this alone.


	15. Chapter 15 Holy crap pedophilia!

A/N: SnowAngel: How's it going all? I won't be posting for a while on either Heal or Haunted, my fic, after this, because school work calls. Unless you all get lucky, and I wake up early Thanksgiving and write during the parade. …Oh, I should do that. I hope that this is long enough for all of you for the time being though. Please comment to tell us what you think, even if it's to complain that I suck. XD

This chapter is dedicated to Nalyx, because she needs a pick me up from the world- IMMA TAKE HER TO JUNIOR PROM I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED IF WE WERE AXEL AND ROXAS IN FIRE :D …Yes, I'm our Axel, thank you. XD

TAKE IT AWAY, NALYX! (She is SO writing an author's note every chap, I don't care. XD)

**Nalyx:**...my girlfriend scares me sometimes xD lol anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter of Heal. Again I'm sorry that I will not be finishing this…unless I get an idea xD but the world will be taken over by zombies before that happens. Anyway enjoy!

Marluxia POV

I turned back around from where I was standing by the door. I locked the door behind me, not dropping my eyes from the boy across the room. There was Vexen… sort of.

Not the Vexen I knew, or remembered from the past. This Vexen wasn't an over-worked teacher in a high school of delinquents. This Vexen wasn't crippled with age. The Vexen in front of me was a young, happy, innocent child. …Was.

I slid to the floor as I continued looking on, comparing his faces. Had I ever _seen_ any pictures of him as a child? No, but his parents had thrown him out of the house at fourteen. I remember that, he told me the day Larxene came to us… the day her home burned to the ground due to… electrical fire. I scanned my new life's (now my other old life's) memories of the times Vexen and I spent together as children. How we'd snuggle together at night so he'd be warm and he'd be happy and he'd be _there-_

God, even then I hadn't forgotten how horrible it was when he left me. If he weren't in the room, I'd start messing around or crying until he came back. We talked all the time, and he would try to convince me to talk to "Mommy" and "Daddy", but I didn't want to. I told him I only wanted to talk to him, because he mattered the most to me. I forgot back then what it meant when his face would suddenly get red when I said something sometimes, or when we snuggled together at night. But now that I could remember, it was like someone had set my insides up with Christmas lights.

He still _loved_ me. _He_ still loved _me. _

How this was possible I didn't know but… I wasn't going to be stupid enough to throw it away. Not like last time. Not when I'd been so close to-

I hissed, remembering what I was about to do before he found out about my work with Xemnas, before the kids were dragged into this, before anyone got hurt. I padded my pockets, even knowing that it wouldn't be there. I quickly went through my head to where I had hidden it in our old home, and made a mental note to go get it for later.

If someone hadn't found and used it already.

Or thrown it away.

Not to mention, I didn't even know if he'd-

I stopped myself there. There'd be plenty of time later to get it, come back, and decide what to do with it afterwards. Right now… Right now I had to fix what I'd broken. Never mind Zexion's mistake, our son did things like this to Vexen before, although Vexen had never told him. I had heard that this was due to memory torture. So that meant that Vexen was hurting in there because of the past. A past I'd helped ruin.

I got up slowly, feeling my spine crack with age I didn't remember having. I walked over to him, quietly as could be. As stupid as it sounded, I didn't want to wake the sleeping child as I moved towards him, his back towards me. He looked like a little angel curled up there on the bed, his long blonde hair (I laughed quietly at the fact that it reached his knees now, God only knows what Demyx was thinking when he allowed that to happen,) lying over him like a blanket. As I neared him, I jolted back with a start. Vexen's face was hardly the peaceful one I'd thought, but one of someone whose been read their death sentence. His eyes were screwed up in tight lines, yet somehow the tears were still leaking out. He didn't shake or cry out in his sleep, but the continuous tears kept pouring down, freezing as they descended. He had his body wrapped into himself, as if curling up into a ball would shield him somehow. I hesitated for a moment, and then lowered my hand until it touched his hair. I grimaced at how knotted Demyx had somehow let it get. I started working the knots out by myself with my fingers, remembering how I used to do this while he slept back when we were a family. He stirred a bit, as if recalling the touch.

Zexion POV

As I walked away from the room, I knew there was nothing else I could do to help Vexen. His fate was in Marluxia's hands now. My teacher, my friend, my father… my son. All one person, and now… there was nothing he could do to help him in any way. Only hurt him more. I slammed my fist into the wall. I hated being useless, even more so right now.

I needed time to think alone. I needed time to scavenge my thoughts again. I sat down in a chair in our apartment by the kitchen. Inside, Dem and Luxord were talking about what they thought might happen with Vexen.

"My guess is, he won't be ready for changing for a while," Luxord sighed. "A load of good he'll do us if he's gone barkin' mad."

"I don't think Zexy is going to like that very much…" Dem said in a worried tone.

Luxord laughed bitterly. "He can do without his dear old dad for a little longer, that is, if he wants him back at all."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if he was so eager to have Vexen there, why'd the kid up and leave the man before?" Luxord's response came back with a bite.

Demyx's breath caught in his throat, as did mine.

"… He didn't mean for it to be permanent. He was leaving for a while to give Vexen some space he said. He said he wanted Vexen to worry less for a while, since he had to be stressed since Marluxia left. He was only-"

"Making everything WORSE." Luxord growled. "He does realize that when he left, he didn't leave a bloody note or anything? That he up and vanished one day without a trace, without a warning, without letting any family know? Vexen nearly had a heart attack when he left. He was so certain that Saix had come back for him and stolen him away. He would stay up nights on end-"

"Vexen always stayed up late-" Demyx protested.

" – Staring out the window as if any minute now, a ghost would come running up the bloody avenue."

Demyx fell silent. Luxord continued.

"He was always so frightened about it, that until he saw Zexion in school, he was certain he was either dead or gone, kidnapped by Saix. The first night, he waited until Xion and Larxene went to bed, and broke down freakin' sobbing in the middle of the living room. It took me **five hours **to get the man off the sodding floor again. And after that, he went completely dead whenever the girls weren't around. He didn't try his stupid façade on me, but it was sickening to watch him pull a smile out for the girls every time they came home just to watch him die as soon as they left the room. Xigbar and Lexeaus can attest to this too, and Xaldin I'd imagine, though God knows I wasn't there when he was."

Luxord went quiet for a minute, lost in his own pain, and I took the pause as a chance to soak up everything I had just heard.

I never knew Vexen cared that much about me. I was so scared that he had protected and dealt with me all this time was simply because I was the son of his friend; funny, but he never told me anything about my dad he apparently knew so much about. It had never mattered to me; why listen about your father when you could be with your Dad? But I'd always wondered if the relationship went both ways. Now, I felt a great sense of shame from doubting Vexen all those times. I wanted to go back and repent all those screw-ups. There was only one-way to try to go any where near it though. I closed my eyes, and envisioned what I gave Vexen as his personal nightmares, calling on my element to bring it back to me.

I screamed.

Marluxia POV

I sat down on the bed, still working my hands through Vexen's hair. I kept going until he had no more knots and his hair was nice and smooth. I went to pull my hand away, and I found myself being nuzzled.

Vexen. Is. Nuzzling. Me.

I settled for a quiet "Awwwwwwwwww", simply because no one, myself included, would be sympathetic if I did anything to a five year old. Me included. Sure it was Vexen but- Hoo boy. This was going to be difficult.

I went back to stroking his hair. I decided that maybe was the right time to try to wake him up. Or at least, explain myself the one time he couldn't run away from me.

"Vexen… You have no idea how much I missed you."

Mini Vex (XD) POV

Oh God. Oh _GOD_, the agony.

It hurt to see what I was seeing, but I couldn't stop, it was like I was trapped in there, watching horror movies from the past.

I watched as the silver-haired man walked in and killed Mommy again; poor Mommy, with her blue hair scattered around, her blue eyes permanently shut. I watched as he dragged me off of her, screaming to wake up, and took me away. I remember hitting him in the face, leaving a bunch of ice on his nose and cheek. He scrabbled to get it off as it spread, but I didn't have time to watch, and I jumped out the window to the fire escape and ran down the five flights of stairs. I got outside, and didn't look back as I ran to anywhere.

But then there were memories I didn't remember. Well, at first I mean. One's from the other Vexen's life. I saw so many people leave. I watched his parents close the door on him and throw him a backpack of food, clothes, and money so he wouldn't die too quickly. I remembered him watching as a blue haired man- he looked a lot like the boy in my head- try to hurt Daddy, and two girls I didn't recognize at first, but the names came to me; Larxy, Xi-xi… Larxene. Xion.

Remembering her name made me bend double at watching the same man throw her across a room before dragging me off. Other, clearer memories stirred. I watched as I- he- we- slammed the door in Marluxia's face after he told me he had killed people. I couldn't understand how he left us, how our savior as he was did such horrible things. And I watched the mad, frantic scrabble as we searched for Zexion… for Daddy. Turning things over in the house to see if his things were still there, searching the school for a glance, walking out on the streets that night trying to find him, praying we would, praying we wouldn't. Always asking why, why, _why _this was happening. This was so painful to watch… to remember.

At least the voice had gone. I hated that voice that took complete control and made me watch as he carried off _my_ Marluxia- I mean my _friend_ Marluxia. I needed to stop thinking of him like that. Regardless of what Daddy said, I'm five, he's two. Sure, I'm the only one he talks to, and he needs me around always, and he demands that as soon as the adults are gone I come and snuggle with him until we fall asleep and-

He was the one I missed in here the most. In the dark, where all I could feel was the cold on my face. Then I felt something familiar… someone touching my hair. A calming, brushing feeling through my hair. When it suddenly stopped, I found myself strangely un-happy. I reached with my head to find the hand again, and when I found it, moved into it as far as I could, nuzzling against its warmth. The memories stopped, and faded to black as I heard a voice begin to speak.

"Vexen… You have no idea how much I missed you."

That voice. It was the voice that sent shivers down my spine, the voice that made me want to remember and forget at the same time- my angel's voice. I couldn't speak as he continued, but why would I want to interrupt that beautiful deep voice anyway?

Marluxia POV

I continued to speak, though I knew I'd get no answer.

"I… I guess I just wanted to talk to you one last time. Before you start hating me again. I mean… I can't imagine going back to life without you again but… I can't see you forgiving me for what I did to our family. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For putting you all in danger when I was trying to protect you. For hurting all those people… OK, for hurting most those people. I won't say I'm sorry for the people who attacked the house, because _come on,_ you shot one of them for God's sake."

I started laughing at that memory, watching Vexen shoot some guy from the window when we had gotten attacked that one year in the winter. I never knew he had such awesome aim before then.

"But, I didn't come here to reminisce… even if it's the last chance I have to do that with you. I came to say I was sorry… for everything. But mostly, I'm sorry I landed you here. I'm sorry that I was the reason you died. If I had never gotten involved with you… none of this would have happened. You'd be off somewhere, happy as anything… not lying here like a broken porcelain doll. I'm sorry I fell in love with you Vexen-"

"…I'm not."

I stopped. Did his lips just move, did he really just say that? I watched him as he slowly opened his eyes. They weren't the Vexen's eyes I knew before- neither the child nor the man… someone in between. But still, that same green that always captivated me held me there, until I saw Vexen in them. He spoke again.

"Am… I awake? It's not dark anymore… it's not cold… and you're here. Am I awake… or am I in heaven?"

That hit me as strange. I laughed bitterly.

"Vexen, you act like I could get into heaven-"

"Don't say that!" He sat up suddenly, that familiar fire in his eyes as he suddenly grabbed hold of my shirt, pulling me close. I was too surprised to resist, and met him at eye level. He continued, the fire in his eyes mirrored in his voice. "You're an angel! You dragged me out of the darkness and pain, and now I'm safe here with you again! You were always there for me, at night when I needed someone to tell me I'd be ok someday! You were the only thing that kept me going-"

He broke off there, blushing and getting off my lap. Huh. Must've realized how close we'd been right there. I unintentionally followed him back though in his retreat, and ended up pulling him into a hug. I held him there until his breathing calmed and he held back.

"I did all that then?" I whispered, half shocked, half smug. Hey, I'm human too; I'm allowed to feel a bit proud of that. I felt him bury his face into my chest, and the warmth his face was giving off. That was always something great about Vexen; you knew when he was embarrassed because his body got close to normal temperature as he blushed.

"Is… Is that a problem?" He whispered, looking up at me. His eyes showed fear as he looked at me. That bothered me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, stroking his face. He shuddered at the touch, and I pulled away, confused.

"You… You don't love me."

I would've been less surprised if he had quite literally taken a giant blue shield out from under the bed and pimp smacked me with it.

"WHAT?"

He flinched, so I quieted down. I didn't want to scare him, just understand.

"You don't love me," He repeated.

"Of course I do-" I started, but he interrupted.

"You love him."

I felt my heart stop. This was Vexen, wasn't it?

"You love the other Vexen… the one who was here before me. The one who died with you, lived with you, loved with you. And I'm not him, so you don't love me."

He put his head down at this. What the hell? How could there be two different Vexen's. No, I knew this was my Vexen… But he didn't. Gonna have to fix that.

"…"

If only I knew how. I simply held him again, letting him cower in my arms.

"I… you want him back, don't you."

I nodded numbly. "I want you back, yes." I mumbled into his hair

"And I'd have to change back into him to make you happy, right?"

I looked at him, not catching on.

"I… don't want to. Be him, I mean. I've only seen bad things so far, and I don't know if he wants to come back… but… I want to be with you. And he wants to be with you. So if I did this, and turned into him, I'd be with you in someway. I'd make you both happy."

He beamed up at me as I stared down in shock. I then did the only thing that made sense to me, and grabbed and hugged him as hard as I could, not letting go even as I heard him squeak, not until I knew I wasn't going to hit something.

"Don't think too rashly Vexen." I said rasping. "I want you. You, in any form. Well… Ok, I can't be with you if you're five, true, but I'll wait for you. God knows you waited for me."

He went quiet, and shuddered. He opened his eyes slowly, then looked up at me.

"…Marly."

That's all I needed to know. That one sentence told me he remembered enough- this was my Vexen, no matter what. I couldn't stop myself, and my lips crashed into his. He kissed back, his arms ensnaring my neck to pull me in, and I pulled his small body close- Small body? Holy shit FIVE YEAR OLD-

I broke us apart. He looked confused, then hurt, then regained his composure. Huh. That's where the hell Zexion learned it from. Well played Vex.

"This isn't going to look good. Or be easy." He muttered. I laughed.

"Well, I know one thing is for certain."

"And what's that?" He mumbled.

"I'm waiting for you."

He froze.

"You don't have to-" He started, but I interrupted.

"I WANT to wait Vexen. I want you to be able to get everything back in one go. You worked out the personality, and most of your memories, but you're still not stable. We need to wait until you are. And I'm willing to wait for you. The question is… can you wait for me?"

I intertwined our hands, and he looked up at me, tears in his eyes. I was about to say more, when a scream and a crash interrupted us. We both looked at the door in alarm, and Vexen's eyes widened.

"_Zexion" _he said, and leapt off the bed towards the door. I beat him there by inches, threw the door open, and picked him up. Vexen squeaked, but I paid no mind; we had to get to Zexion. I ran down the hall towards the kitchen.

When we got there, another scream hit our ears. I covered Vexen's eyes as soon as I saw what had happened. Zexion must've pitched backwards off of a chair into the glass door between the living room and kitchen. He lay there, un-moving as Demyx sobbed over his still form and Luxord looked on, shell shocked. I couldn't move until I suddenly realized my shoulder was lighter. I looked around, and saw Vexen moving rapidly towards him. He tapped Demyx to get his attention. Demyx looked up, shocked.

"I need you to let Marluxia move him to the couch." He said, very seriously. Demyx nodded in shock, and he and Luxord followed us numbly as we carried the unconscious bluenette into the living room. He moved underneath his head and started for the bathroom, coming back with a cloth and a pair of tweezers.

"Go get some bandages somewhere please Luxord. Demyx wet this and throw it back, thank you very much. Marluxia, please hold him up for me." He said briskly.

Luxord numbly said, "Can't you hold him yourself? Why do you need Marluxia to hold him up?"

Vexen looked at him sharply. "Because, Luxord, at the moment, I have a big Zexion, and little arms. I'm not sure how well your plan was thought through."

I could have died laughing right there. Instead, I simply laughed hysterically as I held up Zexion for Vex to inspect. Now with a damp rag in hand, he removed the glass in Zexion's hair and- oh God, it's in his head and neck. Vexen shuddered momentarily, then continued his work, removing and cleaning. When he finished, he wrapped his head with the bandage and asked me to lay him down gently. Suddenly, Demyx ran over and hugged him.

"I was so scared you'd never wake up," he sobbed into my little blonde. Luxord ruffled his hair, smiling at the boy.

"You're a lucky little bastard, aren't you?" he said to Vexen, who promptly glared at him.

"Luxord, I have the intellect of a thirty five year old genius, and I did better then any of you did in a crisis situation. For the love of God, do not talk down to me."

Luxord stood shell shocked as Demyx and I laughed. "Good old Vexen," I chuckled.

Demyx cut off.

"Yeah… good old Vexen. So what happened to the new Vexen?"

I turned to where Demyx had put him down. Vexen sighed.

"I'm still the new Vexen." He admitted. "I just remember more, and I have the same skill sets it seems as the old one. And the same emotions."

He cut off there, blushing. The other blondes in the room turned to me. I blinked and said, "What?"

Demyx's glare was fierce. "You pedo on my son, and I will skin you alive Marluxia."

"The same comes from me, but I'll throw in a castration as well," a voice from behind me rang out.

I turned to see Zexion sitting up, holding his head. Vexen rushed past me, checking him out. Zexion blinked at Vexen for a few minutes, before picking him up and embracing him for a long time in silence. When his eyes opened again, they met mine in a silent thank you. Vexen pulled away, confused.

"What's wrong?" Zexion asked.

"Forgive me but… "Vexen reached for the bandages he had just wrapped on Zexion's head, and started un-winding.

We were all to stunned to do anything. The bandages that come off were clean as they were when they were put on. We all stared at Zexion in shock. Vexen moved to Zexion's back, and stared at the back of his head.

"Amazing," he breathed. "It's as if he had gotten them years ago, the scars are so faded."

We stood there soaking it in. Finally, Zexion spoke.

"...How?"


	16. Chapter 16 Demyx!

**The Snow Angel**: Well, it came sooner then expected, but here you go. NOW don't expect for a while, same goes for my two fics as well. I hope that no one kills me for this. Also, Marluxia, Luxord, and Saix are about two years younger then Xigbar, Vexen, and their high school crew, while Marluxia's older brother is their age. That ties in later, trust me...I'm gonna be hated for this chapter. Please don't kill me, or else, well...Who will finish the story? :D

Dedicated to Demyx. I am so very sorry, but it had to be done, and you know it did too.

**Nalyx:** lol if you're murdered Angel then I'll have no choice but to finish this story...or force Jaike kyr to write it xD lol don't worry Axie I won't :P anyway people enjoy the chapter!

**Roxas POV**

Coffee smell radiated through the kitchen. Axel was still sleeping, and I was left alone with my cup and Axel's computer. I was looking through some missing persons reports that Axel had been working on recently. It was horrible really; Axel always wanted to help save the un- savable. It was especially hard for him to look at some of these, since most of them were children. I flipped through, then noticed a name in one of the 'solved' files.

_Ienzo Martin_.

...Oh. Oh my God. Zexion's file...Did I really have the right to violate his- I clicked that button like it was my job.

I looked at his pictures- Before and after, as Xigbar called them- One sad five year old in a group of sad five year olds, and then, him alone, staying away from the group. I was confused for a second, before remembering that he had been in an orphanage a few years before Vexen and Marluxia adopted him. I scrolled through some comments about him, before I saw a tab. _Related Cases._

...Strange. I clicked it to see who showed up. A bunch of kids came up who were found after being kidnapped and dumped basically on their front door step after a few days. It went from most recent to the oldest cases, and in two columns, solved and un-solved. I went to the solved ones- Which in this one, just meant the kids had come home – and started back in shock at the youngest one.

_Roxas Hart, Age 2. Twin brother: Sora Hart, Mother: Aerith Hart, Father: un-known._

I had to stop reading for a second after that. I remembered an old promise Mom had said to us when Sora and I were in second grade. We'd been to parent teacher night, and everyone had a Dad there, save for us. We asked about our dad to her and she stiffened up. She said she'd tell us when we were older. When I had asked for an age later, she had said Twenty-one.

Two more years to go before I find out what my last name should have been. Two more years before I had any idea who it was I looked like, since Sora looked like Mom. Two more years before I could find that jerk. I went back to the file.

_Missing: 7/1/96 –_ _8/13/96 found alive in a supermarket down the road from house, un-able to remember events._

Huh. I went missing for a month? No wonder Mom was so freaked out when she found me in the supermarket that time. I guess that must have been when I was changed. I ex-ed out of my file, and started reading some of the other ones in the solved column. I started feeling a sinking feeling as the names scrolled down the page.

_Luxord Anderson- Age fifteen_

_Namine La'monre- Age twelve_

_Myde Fortissimo- Age four_

_Ienzo Martin- Age five_

Axel Hi- Age 6 months- What. Someone had taken Axel – my Axel- and hurt them, and made them control fire at six frigging months? Oh, that Xemnas dude is going DOWN. I nearly shattered the mug in my hands, which wouldn't have been a problem for my hand really, but the laptop would've gotten wet and I'd have a mess to clean up, so I put it down and continued scrolling through the 'solved' cases names. It was really weird; some of these people went far back. The scarier thing was I knew who they all were by the name or the accompanying picture. Braig Johnson- Age thirteen Aeleus Chikyuu- Age thirteen Dilan Jones- Age thirteen Related cases: Relane Koori- Age elevenMatthew Andrews- Age thirteen, un-solved

_Even Koori- Age thirteen, un-solved. _

I clicked there. The name was too similar...Was it? It came to a picture of a boy about thirteen years old, with blonde hair just below his ears...Vexen? Is this what he looked like when he was younger? But...We knew he was still alive. We knew he hadn't been missing when he died before...so why was he 'un-solved?' There was another picture with him and the other four boys, two with black hair, a bluenette, and a brunette. Apparently, they'd been friends for years and they all went missing the same day. Only three came home, and had no idea they'd been missing. But according to the boys, they were seeing their friends in school every day. Something was up. As I looked at the after photos I realized I recognized another one. Braig was Xigbar...but in the first picture, he still had his eye...what could have happened that caused him to lose it?

I recognized the brunette as a teacher in the high school, and I'd seen the other raven before, in pictures and once at Zexion's house. But this Matthew guy I'd never seen before...But he did look a lot like...Zex? How on earth could he look like Zexion-?

"When I was young I lived in England for about a year or so. My father left us and my mother died from depression."

"When I was young I lived in England for about a year or so. My father left us and my mother died from depression. I was in an orphanage and Xemnas 'adopted' me. He took me to Castle Oblivion and did his experiments. Then when he was finished he put me back into that orphanage. I lived there for another year until a man named Vexen came up to me and said he was a friend of my parents."

"_My father left us...left us-"_

Could it be that this was Zexion's father? And that Vexen had been his friend, and that's why he adopted Zexion? Is it possible that Zexion's dad was an...an abnormal human?

I went to the only girl's file then. It was a solved case, and she wasn't in the picture- but according to the description, she was Vexen's little sister. "Larxene…" I whispered.

She'd been born a little while after Vexen had been kidnapped apparently, but with thirteen years difference, and the fact he was 'missing' her whole life, how did they know each other? He had adopted her when their parents died, he had said. But how did she know about him? I couldn't find anything else on either Matthew or Vexen's old files. Only that they were apparently still missing according to police records. So why hadn't Xigbar fixed this? Did he not know? I went back to the solved cases, wondering if there was anyone else I would know in there.

Marluxia Rose- Age eight

Yep, like him. I looked over his file out of curiosity, and saw two files attached.

Belle Rose- Age thirteen, un-solvedLynda Rose- Age nine, deceased

...Oh my God. I clicked on them both, making windows next to one another. Both girls were brunette, but while Belle had brown eyes, Lynda's blue ones matched Marluxia's perfectly. He himself had pink hair still (I can't believe that's natural at all), although it was short and only reached his ears in length. I stared in shock at a group photo of them. Apparently, he was the only one who was found, and in a park, no less. Belle was never found, but Lynda was found on their doorstep, dead, by Marluxia one morning. She was twenty-two. The cause of death- a bullet to the brain. She had lived thirteen years un-detected, probably in captivity. No one knew about Belle.

...No WONDER Marluxia was so fucked up. If someone had dumped Sora on my doorstep-

This made me wonder about whether there was some kind of family connection. There were at least three families that had a few kids go missing from their homes, and a lot never came back, from the looks of it. Was there some reason for this? And was I putting Sora in danger, just by having my name on this list? I hesitantly clicked on the 'un-solved' button. How many did I know in here?

Even Koori- Age thirteen

_Matthew Andrews- Age thirteen_

_Belle Rose- Age thirteen_

_Lynda Rose- Age nine_

Aurora Rose Richardson- Age twelve

_Cher White- Age ten_

_Ella Wright- Age twelve_

Jasmine Amon- Age tenAlice Amane- Age six

_Isa Wolfe- Age twelve_

_Xemnas Erikson- Age five_

My heart stopped on that one. I knew THAT name. I continued looking at those names, wondering if any of them were still alive, or knew anything if they did. They'd all be middle aged adults by now, probably. I was getting a little worried now.

I saw another link that said 'New additions?' I opened it up and nearly had a heart attack. Some kids from my old high school were in there.

Hayner Richardson- Age fifteen

_Pence Manning- Age sixteen_

_Olette Manning- Age five_

These guys had been my friends, sort of. I couldn't believe that they were missing. It looks like Axel had gotten this last night. I was honestly worried. Then I saw another one pop up, one that had just been sent. I clicked, and nearly fell out of my chair.

Kairi Winter- Age Nineteen

Oh shit. They... they got KAIRI. This was too close to home. Who'd be next? Riku? Sora?

I bolted up-right, and sent a text to Zexion, saying "I'm coming over." I left Axel a note to let him know where I'd gone, and I slung the laptop into its backpack, shouldering it as I took my phone and the keys. I wasn't taking the car though. I'd leave that for Axel when he wanted to follow me later. I swung a leg over the bike and revved the engine, feeling the calm that came with riding my bike. I shot out into the darkness of the early morning, and tore across town. I didn't really care that I was probably waking the neighbors, even if it was only three in the morning. I made it to Zexion's apartment building, and took the stairs three at a time, making it to the sixth floor easy. I stopped at room 696, and knocked a few times. I knew Zexion wouldn't be asleep, he was probably watching Vexen again.

"Come in~" I heard from the other side. I knew something was wrong. Zexion didn't talk like that, but it was his voice. I grabbed the key from under the mat and unlocked the door in a hurry. I hadn't gone three steps when I was shocked into complete stillness. There was Zexion, smiling crazily, sitting on his knees in the living room...Surrounded by blood. I gaped as he let out a slightly crazy giggle.

"I can't get hurt Roxas, look at that~" He said, and continued to slice his arm open, watching intently as he healed once more. I ran over to him and forced him to his feet, stealing the knife and dragging him to the kitchen, where he got thoroughly slapped by yours truly.

After about five minutes of smacking him back and forth while holding him in a chair, he finally lost that crazy look in his eyes. What replaced it was almost as bad; hopelessness.

"Roxas...What have you done to me?"

I stared before swallowing. "I might have...You might not be able to die either now."

Zexion looked at me before grabbing a pillow. I was confused until he shoved his head into it and let out a long wail that seemed to fill the room, even muffled. When he finally finished, he looked up at me.

"Take it back," he hissed, "Take back your curse Roxas, I don't want-"

He cut off. I must have shown how hurt I was that basically my best friend was saying this to me.

"I'm sorry," He mumbled. "...Is this what it's like...to be you?"

I nodded numbly. "It's good for the most part. You'll never be able to get killed, so you can withstand things the others can't. But...I see you need to talk about this. Can you?"

He nodded.

"Do you want me to get the others?"

He shook his head. "We can tell them later..." He whispered.

We went to the couch and sat down together. I waited until he was ready to begin.

"...I can't escape."

"Pardon?"

"I can't escape the nightmares now," He said, "I'll be stuck for all eternity with them, and I can never get away. That's one of the worst things. No more sleep, no more sanity...after a few years, Roxas, you'll have to lock me up."

I chuckled. "Zexion, I'll never let them take you away. And you'll always have us in case the nightmares get bad-"

"No I won't!" He yelled, getting to his feet. "Demyx, Vexen, Marluxia, Larxene, they're all going to die again! And again, and again and again! And every time, it'll be us just waiting at the end of the day to watch them grow and live and die over and over again! And they'll have forgotten us, Roxas! Not mention, Xion, my little Xi-xi, why is she not here? Why hasn't she returned to life too? Why is this happening?"

"...Daddy?"

We turned to see the others on the stairs, Marluxia holding Vexen, and Demyx standing behind them, looking petrified. I was still thinking over what Zexion said.

"Zexion...," I started. He turned to look back at me. "...It's happening because someone fucked up. Big time. But we need to make the best of it. We're going to have to help the others when they come back, like you did with Marluxia and Vexen, but in the end...aren't they worth it?"

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"...Demyx, sit down. There's...something I need to tell you." He said.

(A month later)

**Axel POV**

It'd been kinda morbid with Zexion "cursed." Oh, did I mention that? Xigbar started calling Roxas "The Curse", so now everyone does it. It gets Roxas down, I can tell, but he doesn't let it show. I haven't been able to talk to him alone for a while, works getting out of control with a bunch of kids going missing from the high school. Of course, I was un-happy when Kairi's disappearance went on the news, because we're not supposed to let anyone know what's going on with these. And the fact that Sora started dancing in the room. Riku looked shell-shocked when he heard, then he felt guilty because he had hoped something bad had happened to her, and now something had.

At least Halloween went without any mishaps this year. Xigbar and I played "Trick-or-treat, cop edition" with a bunch of teenagers. And we laughed at how stupid it was that the people who knew how to evade the cops the best were now working for them. Oh yeah, the streets were safe that night. And we may have taken down some gangsters with a drive-by egg gun shooting. (That'll teach 'em to egg my brothers house).

Even Zexion's family had fun that night. They never kicked Marluxia out, even after he became an adult, so he sleeps on the floor of Vexen's room. Yes, they have a security camera in there; I installed it myself after hearing about what Marly did to Mini-Vex. Zexion took Vexen out trick-or-treating. They did a Jason theme, and went around with hockey masks and ripped up clothing. They really scared some people that night, especially since Zexion decided it was ok to randomly scare people. We nearly had to arrest him the fifth time he came out of a tree with that fake machete. Vexen ran around with a toy chainsaw too, and he scared the living hell out of Xigbar for a second with it. And of course, Demyx and Marluxia drove after them all night in a stalker-ish fashion to be over protective.

But all in all, Zexion had been pretty down. We all knew it was because he was scared of this immortality thing, but really, there was nothing we could do. Well there was, but I was frightened to ask Roxas to do it. One day, Zexion and Demyx came with us to do some shopping for Christmas. We left Marluxia to watch Vexen. I know, I know, it doesn't sound smart, but we trusted him. It wasn't like he'd do anything horrible to Vexen, plus, they wanted to see how badly damaged their house was by the fire Xion caused a few years back. I think they also wanted to pay their respects. I was beginning to think that Xion might not have come back...and if that was the case, maybe everyone didn't. Which made my talk with Roxas all the more important.

Zexion was moping over by the doors of the mall when everything went bad.

**Zexion POV**

I had been leaning against the wall outside the stores when Demyx came over, looking very concerned.

"Zexion...I'm worried. Are you alright?" He asked, very innocently.

I sighed. "I'm fine Dem. Just...leave it."

He looked at me for a minute before speaking again.

"I want to see your smile again," he said, "Please tell me how I can get you to do that..."

I looked him straight in the eye. "I'm sorry Demyx. The only way I could stay smiling all the time is if I knew I would never lose you. And the way that this..._curse_...works, I'll end up not being with you. I'll never be able to grow old with you, or live a normal life- Ok, scratch that, it wouldn't have been normal anyway with the powers and every thing but..."

"...So you want me to stay with you forever? That's all I have to do to make you smile?" he asked.

I looked up, confused. He smiled at me, but his eyes...they showed some kind of plan. A plan he was scared of.

"...Dem? What are you-?"

"Is that all I have to do? I get to stay with you forever, and you'll smile again? I can make you happy that way?"

"...Yes."

"I promise I will never leave your side, Zexion. Never."

He hugged me, and I felt this tension in his body. "Close your eyes," he whispered.

"Huh? Why?"

"Close 'em Zexion~" He said, a nervous giggle in his voice. I did the only thing I could think of. I closed my eyes, seeing only darkness.

"Good. Keep them that way until I tell you to open them, ok?" I nodded, "I...I love you Zexion."

'Why do you sound nervous?' I wondered.

Then I felt the arms leave me. I kept my eyes closed. I only heard the mall sounds around me, smelled the bakery's cinnamon rolls, and of course, smelled Demyx...walking away? Why would he-

Tires squealing across the road. The sound of a collision. The smell of gasoline, crushed metal...and blood. Blood, blood, blood everywhere. Silence for a moment, then the screams came from all around, as I stood in the darkness and smelled blood wash the streets.

"...Demyx...Demyx no..."

I heard Roxas scream. "Demyx!"


	17. Chapter 17 Our Past and Future

**A/N:**

**TheSnowAngel: I have fought off the brave assassins that came to attack me in the name of Demyx fandom. But I get tired of the ninjas, so here's the next chapter. I hope everyone had a good holiday. Put the weirdest gift/ event of your holiday in your comment for fun, if you want. For example? My Dad got us all nerf guns for Christmas. We all unwrapped them and started shooting each other in the face. XD dedicated to whoever digs me out of my house first. WHY SNOW, WHY?**

**Nalyx: So after reading this chapter, I have to put a warning up. This may make you cry! Enough said xD I hope you're all having a great break :D and by the way, I got kingdom hearts birth by sleep :DDDDDDDDDDDDDD**

**Zexion POV**

Blood. Blood. The scent was everywhere. God, what happened? Oh my God, I need Demyx. Demyx, come back, make the smell go away, make it stop-

I broke my promise. I opened my eyes, searching for the one I so desperately needed right then. And as my eyes found him, I regretted my promise, and not keeping it. The heavy numbness set in as I watched the scene before me.

He was lying in the street, blood pooling around him like a crimson lake. His legs were splayed out across the ground- Oh God, one's going in the wrong direction- and his left arm was across his chest, lying uselessly there as his blood flowed out of his chest. His other hand was clasped in Roxas', who was kneeling beside him. The blonde was holding Demyx's hand like he was his brother at his death-bed, with an expression of pain etched into his eyes.

Sudden fear shot through me, as if Vexen had shot his ice through my very veins. I saw the world lose color; the only thing remaining was the red of his blood, the blonde of his hair, the teal of his eyes that were shutting so slowly with every blink, the pink of his lips as he spoke. I'll never know what he said exactly, I was too far away. But as I saw the color drain from Roxas' face, even more then it already had, I felt the weight in my legs leave just enough to try to move. I felt an arm at my waist, and looked up to see Axel. I saw his mouth move, but heard nothing. Nothing- not the sirens, the screams, not the winds that were wrapping themselves around me. All I could see was that small smile Demyx gave Roxas, and a breath that could have been mistaken for a sigh as his eyes closed and his head fell, not making another sound.

I screamed silence.

**Roxas POV**

I stared at the corpse. My best friend wasn't ever supposed to look like this. He wasn't supposed to be pale. He wasn't supposed to be cold. And he certainly wasn't allowed to be...Dead. I thought of the last three seconds as I held the limp hand that had once been my best friends'.

"Demyx," I sobbed, holding his hand in mine as he lay there, gasping. He smiled up at me.

"_Guess we know what happens now," He said, looking like it hurt him very badly to do so._

"_No, No Demyx, the doctor's will get here in time, they'll help you. If they can't, I will."_

He smiled again. "That's...what I'm counting on Roxas. You helping me."

_I shook my head, not understanding._

"_I promised Zexion...I said I'd be with him forever."_

_My blood froze._

"_Do you...Understand?"_

_I stared down at him. "Demyx...you can't be asking for this...You can't be asking for me to curse you..."_

_He coughed violently before looking me in the eyes._

"_Of course not Roxas. I'm asking you...To __bless__ me."_

_I stared in shock as he went on._

"_I promised him I would be here forever. I can't do that if I die some day. And I could never go back on a promise I made to him. I'd never forgive myself. I'm asking you to do what's best, and help me to keep my promise. And just to make doubly sure...I've given you no other choice, have I?"_

_He gave me a grim smile before continuing. _

"_So please, Roxas. Help me. Give me the best blessing anyone can give."_

"_An eternity of Life, never knowing death," I whispered, a tear falling down my face. He looked me in the eyes one last time, and struggled to make the words come out._

"_An eternity of love...never knowing...loneliness. Give...Me that...Roxas. Give me...My Heaven."_

_And with one more breath, he lay his head down on the street- and was gone._

I blinked again, looking down at him, debating. Did I dare? Could I do it to yet another person? Would he forgive me when he came back? I heard a scream and looked to the side to see Axel holding Zexion back. I never saw Zexion like that ever before, and I never want to see it again. His skin was whiter then ice and his eyes were wide and crazed with emotion. It raged in him, and boiled up into oceans that spilled out his eyes onto his face. He struggled to reach the man who grew ever colder in my hands, and I realized what he was saying, without really hearing the screams he was making.

Don't leave me.

_I can't do it without you._

_I need you._

_Please._

_I love you._

Each one was like another dagger in my chest. Was this how I would be when Axel finally left me? Crazed and lost without any hope? I turned back to Demyx, took one more look at his peaceful face- And put my hand over his heart.

**Zexion POV**

I never had the world moved so slow as in that moment. I struggled to reach what had been my last reason for living when Roxas looked up at me. He looked into my eyes- maybe even my soul. His eyes gave me some strange look- Recognition? Understanding? I didn't know. He looked back to Demyx and I saw his hand move towards his shirt. He brushed his hand on Demyx's chest, and a strange glow the color of sunshine came to his fingertips.

I started to struggle again, to call out. I tried to stop him. I wouldn't let him do this, not to my Demyx; I couldn't let him do this. I was held fast by Axel's arms though, and as I screamed, no one heard me. I watched the wounds heal themselves, almost sewing themselves up like clothing. I finally put a well placed elbow to Axel's ribs, and felt myself be released. I raced towards Roxas, with all the speed of a man running in river mud it felt like. When I reached him, he had finally pulled away his hand. I pushed him aside, and grabbed up what had once been my boyfriend, holding him closely like I had once done with a toy Vexen had given me as a child. I sat there, sobbing and holding him for what seemed to be ages when I felt it.

A teardrop on my shoulder. A twitch in the leg. A sudden gasp. A heartbeat. I pulled away, and looked into two pools of teal ocean. He smiled gently at me.

"Zexion," He said, and wrapped his arms around me. I felt numb at first. This wasn't how it should be. He pulled away again, looked sad that I hadn't hugged back.

"Zexion, I'm sorry, but this was the only way to keep my promise."

A knife wound in my side. "You… You did this on purpose?" I asked, my eyes widening. "Demyx, you idiot! You're damned too now! Why would you do this? What about death? What about Heaven?"

He looked me in the eyes, then took his hands and guided my lips to his. After a moment he pulled away and smiled.

"I get to spend eternity with you, Zexion. As far as I'm concerned, that _is_ what Heaven is; being loved and loving, being with those you love."

I rested my head on his shoulder, and held him tightly. I felt myself sobbing, but I wasn't upset anymore. I had him forever, and ever, and ever. He was mine, and I was his, and no one could take it away from us.

Roxas POV

Axel managed to get everyone to leave, convincing everyone Demyx was fine and the blood had been groceries or something. Zexion clung to Demyx all the way home in the backseat, to the point of Demyx carrying him into the apartment when we arrived. Axel and I unloaded the car and said our goodbyes, leaving the two to the beginning of their eternity together alone.

We rode home, listening to the radio. I was lost in my thoughts. Now that there were two others who'd never die and go through the re-incarnation process, I had to wonder what life would be like when I would never be "alone". Just as lonely, I'd imagine, since the two of them were together. I went from being the lone ranger to the third wheel in about two months, it seems. But it wasn't like I knew Zexion would be stuck like this too. If I'd known...if I'd known, I would've let him die and waited to re-raise him when he was re-incarnated, like the others. But Dem was a different story. Dem knew. I knew. There was a choice there. But how could I have let him die? How could I have done that to Zexion? I knew if our roles had been reversed, and he had been the one to curse me, he would've brought Axel back for me...Axel. What will life be like when he died? Did I have the strength in me to watch him die over and over again; risking the fact he might forget me over and over again? Did I even have the strength to let him chose death?

...Thinking about Axel made me notice how quiet he was. He didn't speak at all, not singing along to the pointless carols on the radio or anything. Fires of thought danced in his eyes, and I knew it was related somehow to what I'd been thinking of.

I wanted to ask him what he was thinking, what was wrong... but as I watched him drive on, I couldn't find the voice to do it. I turned back to the window, and watched as the snow began to fall.

**Marluxia POV**

We'd gone to the house when Vexen had mentioned it this morning. I'd been feeding him Coco Puffs ( No one but I knew how much of a chocolate craving Vexen had sometimes, and being a child seemed to increase his sweet tooth considerably) for breakfast when he looked up at me.

"Marly, do you remember much about our house?" he asked innocently, his head tilting.

"I remember pretty much everything, Vex. Why?"

"Can we...can we go home?"

He sounded so sad I nearly broke and jumped the table to hug him.

"Not for forever, just to visit," He amended. "I know the house hasn't been sold...and Zexion found me in front of it. I just...I have a feeling something's in there we need to see. Please, Marly?"

Like I could say no to him.

Twenty minutes later, we were on the front porch of what once had been home to us. Little did we know what waited for us inside...

**? POV**

It was dark and cold in the house. I guess that's what happens when December rolls around and no one has paid for the heat or electricity for five years or so. I just missed Daddy and Mommy, and my big brother and sister. I wanted them to come home again, so we'd be a happy family one more time...

A noise from inside the house made me run to the kitchen. What if someone had come in to rob us? I got the broom, and decided that anyone who came near me was going to get whacked within an inch of their lives. I walked around with all the stealth of a ninja...ok, maybe not. In fact, I ran into a wall at one point when I jumped from hearing a noise, but still.

I got downstairs and saw the door handle move. I ducked under the banister, and listened for the footsteps.

**Marluxia POV**

We walked in. It was in better shape then I'd imagined, almost untouched by the elements and time. Lots of dust though. We took three steps in when Vexen let out a sneeze from all of it.

Because of this sneeze, I scooped him up with an "aaaaawwwww". No one may judge me, if you'd been there, and a little blonde boy sneezes in a high voice, with long blonde hair, you're gonna friggin' hug him too. I am NOT a pedophile...I'm not.

Anyway, when I pulled him back, a broom came down in the spot he'd just been in. someone had thrown it so well it actually stuck in the floor. Vexen stared wide-eyed in my arms at the death broom with a little gasp, (which may have resulted in a tighter hug, just saying,) and looked up in time to see a retreating shadow. He scrambled out of my arms and gave chase.

"Wait!" He called out, and rushed up the stairs.

"Vexen, wait, we don't know who that is!" I ran after him, worried as all hell. We wove and ducked, until coming to a door that was slammed three seconds before we arrived. I looked at it, a pang coming into my chest; Xion's room. It still had all of her paintings on the door she had done when she got bored that day it rained and Vexen had given her paints. Anger went through my chest. How _dare_ someone violate my little girl's room with their presence. I slammed the door open, glaring into the dark room. My breath caught in my throat as I saw who was huddling in the corner looking for all the world like a frightened little duckling.

Xion sat there, huddled in some blankets, staring up at the two of us looking more frightened then the day we found her in the streets.

"Xi-xi?" Vexen asked, very softly. He walked over to her slowly, and put a hand on her leg. "Xion? It's...It's me."

"M...Mommy?" She asked, her eyes wide.

Vexen bit back a momentary annoyed look, which I nearly laughed at. He'd always been more then a little annoyed that Xion had called him that since I told her a story about a prince (me) and a princess (him) getting "married". He looked back up at her.

"Yeah. It's me Xion."

She hugged him like he was one of her dolls then, giving out a little shriek of joy as she did. Vexen gave her as much of a hug he could with her flinging him around like a little rag-doll. I laughed, and stepped forward, hugging both of them, one to hold my little girl again, and two, to prevent said little girl from giving my boy-friend whiplash. She looked up at me, her blue eyes going wide.

"Daddy..." She said, her smile growing even wider. She snuggled into my chest and we sat like that for a while before Vexen spoke up.

"Um, excuse me? I hate to ruin the moment, but I think I may be suffocating."


	18. Chapter 18 Lost, Found and Remembered

_**A/N's**_

Angel: Well crap this took forever didn't it? x) Um, excuses include graduating high school, starting college, fighting off drama's and evading those last few ninjas people have sent due to no updates and people still being sore about messing with the Zemyx so violently, but just in time thanksgiving- wait…fuck. Ok just in time for the day AFTER thanksgiving (aka "THANKS for GIVING me all your leftovers whoever hosted the party this year for breakfast" day) here is the next chapter- "lost, found and remembered." May this tide you over until the next one BECAUSE IT IS LONG AS HELL x) and with school? There will not be one for a while, Have a good night/day/whatthefuckevertiumeitisyou'rereadingthis, and enjoy the turkey, unless you live somewhere besides the U.S…in which case, eat something delicious in a massive amount and tell whoever objects you're being multicultural and when they object? Throw a turkey leg at them ^^

Nalyx: HOLY FUCK ANGEL YOU WRITE FUCKING LONG AUTHOR'S NOTES! Ok so guys guess whose inspiration might be back! :D yep this persons! XD so we might end up collabing this wonderful piece of sexy literature. This chapter was really good I thought. I love my angel for writing such a good chapter ^^ and I hope I can write the next one. Hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and PLEASE give me ideas for the other stories because I have major writers block T~T Love you all 3

Saïx POV

It was too easy to watch them as they left the house. The kid was so excited; he'd made it snow again. He skipped behind Marluxia, who carried Xion back with them. I suppose they were going to tell Zexion and Demyx.

I watched from the shadows as they moved along the sidewalk. I formed the plan as I followed them, the rage boiling in my chest as I did. Kill Vexen with one smack; if he didn't snap his neck from the hit, he'd die after hitting the wall. Slice Marluxia up the stomach, let him bleed out, the traitor, and slit the girls' throat.

I moved into position.

I didn't expect Vexen to look back and see me. I really didn't expect him to not freak out. Well he did. Sort of. His face contorted in fear, before becoming normal. Well, normal for Vexen, anyway. He waited for a minute, waiting for his family to go ahead and turn the corner before looking both ways and crossing the street to me.

…And to think, this kid was supposed to be smart. Who runs towards their potential murderer in the dark except an idiot?

…Then again, knowing Vexen, he might have some kind of weapon he designed strapped to him, like a pocket watch gun, or a bomb on his chest, or rocket boots or-

"May I speak to you for a moment sir-"

"Keep your fucked up bomby boots away from me and you can live five more minutes."

He stared at me like I was nuts for a second after that, then continued.

"… Ok. I need to talk to you. First, you're the guy who killed Daddy."

I felt a snowball smack me in the eyes.

"That's not cool, sir."

… And that was just adding insult to injury. I growled and cleared the snow from my eyes with my hand, shaking the rest off. "Kid, you're asking for me to break your neck."

"Actually, I'm asking you something a bit more important to me personally."

I growled before realizing he was serious. You could see it in his eyes too… it was almost creepy. Like watching Shirley Temple morph into Samara, or something. He took a breath before speaking.

"When you were in my head that time, you said something about the past. His past- …my past." 

He looked confused for a minute. I nearly laughed- didn't this kid know who he was? Then I took a second look at him and realized maybe he didn't. Anyone would be confused if a stranger picked them up in the street, and brought them home simply because they thought they were a reincarnation of their father. Remembering his old life must be doubly confusing for the five year old. I pictured his head popping like a balloon from the stress, and wasn't sure if I'd laugh or scream if it did for a minute.

"…Mr. … Um, sir? Please stop zoning out, I need your help."

I snapped out of it when I looked down. He was looking up expectantly at me. "… Fine. What do you want to know, child."

"…I need to understand something. You said something about coming home… and I know I've never lived with you. What did you mean?"

I looked down before laughing so loudly he looked scared. "You really don't remember anything, do you? You did live with me, Vexen. You lived with all of us at Castle Oblivion. In fact, you were there longer than me!"

He backed away in disbelief.

"…N-no. That can't be true. That's impossible. I'd have remembered that-"

"You don't remember a lot of things Vexen Koori. Not even your own family."

"I remembered Zexion and Xion and Larxene and Marluxia, thank you very much!"

"But you didn't remember Lynda and Olette did you?"

His eyes widened a mixture of confusion and shock in those innocent green orbs.

"W-what? What do you-"

I smirked before dropping back into the shadows. "Find out for yourself, child. Figure it out alone." The sound of him calling echoed in my ears as I began to leave.

"W-wait! Stop! Saix! Saix!"

I didn't listen. I just ran until the trees of the park had obscured me from vision. I looked to the moon and felt a strange power surge through me.

Time to find my master.

Zexion POV

"Mmm…. Demyx… God that feels so good-" 

"DEMYX! ZEXION! WE'RE BACK!" 

Demyx looked up from where he sat behind me on the bed and got up. 

"Here's your shirt, Zexy. We can finish this later if you want," He said with a smile.

I nodded and put my shirt back on, and followed him outside the door, with only two things on my mind. The first being what the heck Marluxia wanted.

The second being 'When did Demyx learn how to give orgasmic back massages like that?'

Anyway, I tore my mind from Demyx and his god like fingers, and went downstairs. As I was walking, I heard Demyx have one of those "Holy-crap-did-that-just-happen" gasps he's does when he's really surprised.

Slightly worried, since the last time he did one of those this month, a snake had found it's way into the house (And in fucking November too, I don't know how that's even possible), I sped up, grabbed a broom and prepared to brain a reptile again as I rounded the corner and faced the front door.

"Ok, where's the snake? THIS time, I'll get it!"

"Wait, what?" Marluxia said with Demyx, turning to face me with confusion on their faces. A small gasp came out of the blanket in Marluxia's arms.

"Nononononononono don't kill it! Animals are our friends, Zexion!"

I froze in my tracks. That voice… that light… feminine… voice… I walked over to Marluxia as if I were in a trance. Dropping the broom, I slowly took the blanket away from the bundles face and was met with bright blue eyes.

"…Xion…" I whispered out, not believing. Then I grabbed her up in a hug so tight, I swear I might have bruised her ribs. I didn't really care though. My baby sister had come home after all this time.

"Hey Zexion," She said happily, hugging back. Ok, maybe it was MY ribs getting bruised.

"I missed you so much-"

"I thought you had died." I stared at her. "I saw you. You burned to death. I _saw_ you." I felt kind of idiotic, accusing my little sister of being a zombie, or I don't know what, but I was confused. Vexen had been a five year old, Marluxia had been- …wait a minute.

I turned around, looking behind me, and looked around the room.

"What's wrong?" Xion asked, sounding worried.

I turned back to Marluxia. "…Where's Vexen? Didn't you take him with you?"

Marluxia looked a little confused. "What are you talking about, of course I did. He's right behind-" He turned and saw the empty space between him and the closed door.

"… Me…"

You could have shattered the silence that came after that. We scattered, praying he'd wandered off somewhere into the apartment. Demyx ran for the bathroom and the kitchen, while I ran upstairs. Marluxia put Xion down on the couch and ran up with me, going for his room while I went to mine. We searched everywhere before we had to realize what had happened. Vexen hadn't been behind Marluxia. He'd gotten separated. He'd gotten lost. And he was out there. In the dark. In the snow. At ten at night.

… Alone…

Marluxia POV

I ran out that door, screaming at myself in my head. I was so angry with myself. If I loved Vexen so much, how could I not notice when he stopped being behind me? How could I not sense when he wandered off? Worse, what if he _didn't _wander off? I knew at least two people who'd love to come after him for what he was, and that wasn't even considering all the other sickos out there. It was dark. Anyone seeing him right now would think he was a little girl, because of his damn hair. His really long, blonde, silky hair- _god dammit Marluxia do_ NOT _fantasize about a small child right now! _…. OR EVER!

I ran down the streets, the still falling snow covering my tracks. I knew I needed help, so I flipped open the phone and called a number I honestly never thought I'd really use.

"…Axel. You need to help me. Please."

And that's when the hail started.

Axel POV

It was the please that threw me off. I never thought I'd hear Marluxia ask me for anything. But when I heard what had happened… I called up Xigbar immediately.

"Hey brah, what's up?" Xigbar cheered into the phone.

"Man, we got a MAJOR problem. A child has gone missing on the streets, we need to find him."

His voice sounded uncomfortable. "Uh, Ax? I know these recent cases with the kidnapped kids are freaking you out too, but we have other cases that need to be looked at. I want to help, but I have no idea what we could-"

I hissed into the phone. "Asswipe, Vexen's gone missing."

"Holy fuck. I'm getting the fucking bike."

"Meet me at Zexion's."

I hung up, feeling angry. I wasn't obsessed with this.

I wasn't.

There were kids going missing and after I had found my old case report, one my mother never told me about, I started looking everyone up again. Why were some people never returned? Why were more kids going missing? Was Xemnas trying to make more of us? The thought of kids possibly getting hurt filled my body with anger. I could do nothing at all to stop it… but did that mean I was obsessed?

Of course not.

"Axel? What's wrong?"

I turned to see Roxas walk into the room. He looked slightly disheveled, but he had fallen asleep in the car.

"Vexen's gone AWOL on them. He apparently wandered off in the streets…"

We both knew how stupid that sounded.

"Get the car," Roxas said, "We're going blonde hunting." He quickly did his hair, and got an extra blanket and some food for the car. "We've got some pizza, I'll warm it up and put some extra cheese and pepperoni on it so we can have dinner on the go."

GOD, I love this sexy, child helping, pizza making man.

Zexion POV

The "forces" mobilized pretty damn quickly. For one thing, everyone seemed excited to say hello to Xion again, and another was how worried everyone got about Vexen. Xigbar showed up on his bike, Larxene holding onto him as they went. Axel and Roxas came up in the car. Luxord showed up in a car as well, with the driver turning out to be Xaldin. I blinked, surprised.

"Are you guys…"

Luxord winked at me. "That's confidential mate."

The smile meant yes. I'd congratulate them later. When my five year old wasn't outside in the cold and dark by himself.

We split up. Larxene went with Xigbar on the motorcycle, making the streetlights brighter everywhere they went, going north. Axel and Roxas took south town. Marluxia had gone towards the east, so Luxord went after him on foot. And Demyx and I took west, leaving Xaldin at home to take care of Xion for us. He was a good caretaker, and we needed her feeling better.

Demyx and I ended up at the old schoolyard. The swings shook in the breeze eerily. I shivered, feeling paranoid and cold. "Demyx, he's not here."

He didn't move, as if caught in a trance. I tried again, slightly annoyed. "Demyx, come on. We need to keep looking."

As I spoke, something jumped out of the shadows at Demyx. Before I could move, Demyx was fighting someone on top of the monkey bars. I was shocked, but quickly pulled myself together. I ran over to where they were fighting and climbed up. As I got to the top, they tilted, and the figure fell, grabbing Demyx too. I pulled Demyx up again, but the figure had a hold on Demyx's coat. I looked down at the person who was attacking, and sent an illusion straight into him. He let out a gasp as it struck, and I asked myself why his voice and eyes seemed so… familiar. I pulled Demyx up onto the monkey bars as the figure fell, and when he hit the ground, the shadows seemed to melt away from him. Demyx and I gasped as we looked down and saw who was now lying on the ground unconscious.

"…Riku?" I whispered.

Axel POV

We'd been out an hour already before we got the call from Demyx. He said that Riku had somehow attacked him and Zexion, and someone needed to bring him home. Roxas and I pulled a u-turn in the car and headed to the abandoned playground they were waiting at for us.

The car was completely silent as we drove to the other side of town. I started wondering again as I watched Roxas from the corner of my eye. He silently watched the snow fall outside the car, lost in thought to the world. I watched him, transfixed by how the street lights left orange highlights on his dirty blonde hair. The light reflected in his eyes, making it look like fires had sprung up on the oceans his eyes so clearly resembled. His skin was only a few shades more peach then the snow, and he delicately drummed his fingers on the door, making a little drum to add to the sounds of the car.

_Du-du-dum._

_Du-du-dum._

_Du-du-dum._

I turned back to the road slowly, regretting having to look away from the perfection I felt my boyfriend was. The fingers kept drumming in the backround, soothing and distracting me.

_Du-du-dum._

_Du-du-dum._

_Du-du-dum._

Steady, like a heartbeat. Like Roxas' heartbeat. I love his heart, the way it sounds when he's sleeping, how it makes him blush, how it speeds up sometimes according to Demyx when I come in the room-

How it can never stop. Not for long, anyway. But mine could, all too easily. I wasn't like Roxas- he'd live forever if that's what he wanted. He would be here on this earth for all time. Maybe he wouldn't even age. But I wouldn't. I age everyday. I am a finite source- eventually, the flames will die out, the body will be buried; my heart will stop. This made me wonder more about Roxas, more about his heart.

Can a heart that can never stop still break?

_Du-du-dum._

_Du-du-dum._

_D- **BA-DUMP-BUMP.**_

I was so distracted, I didn't see the person in front of us until they'd already gone under the car. A flash of long, pale blonde hair was visible before it was gone, under the wheels of the car I was driving. Roxas screamed.

My heart stopped.

Zexion POV

We waited for Axel for a long time; well, it seemed like that anyway. He never came. Demyx and I were getting more and more worried about Vexen. It was getting darker and darker out, and the moon was covered in shadow. The stars were blacked out by the streetlights reflections on the snow.

I flinched as it began to hail again. This couldn't be a good sign. Was Vexen hurt? He was frightened at least.

Demyx looked at me, with a sad look in his eyes.

"… if they aren't coming soon, we need to get him out of the hail."

I nodded, feeling numb, and helped him carry Riku inside of the nearby school. I didn't quite understand why it was open, but my mind was in other places then wondering how the hell a certain door got open.

It was dark in the hallway, and cold too. Demyx closed the door, and I lugged Riku over to the wall, propping him up against it. He slid down it, and I had to re-prop him. I sighed. Why had Riku attacked us? How had he known where we were? And what had caused him to attack us in the first place?

The questions echoing in my mind made me remember all that the man I was sitting next to now and I had been through together. His face changed from that of a man's to a boys as I began to reminisce…

Riku and I had been friends for a long time. When Vexen and Marluxia first adopted me, I remember meeting him at school. We bonded over the fact that we were both the new kid, both getting adopted around the same time. We would play together in our own quiet way- reading together in the corners as the other kids wrestled and attacked each other. Our favorite pastime was watching the other kids play. It was so intriguing.

But one day, Riku had enough of watching. He went over and said hi to one of the boys that were playing. We felt bad for him, because everyday he'd get beaten up and hurt by the other boys- and sometimes, even girls were mean to him. Riku picked him up off the ground, and took him under his wing. His name was Tidus.

Soon enough, pour group grew again when Tidus made a new friend- a girl named Selphie. Originally, we didn't want to include her in our games- Girls are gross, and all that nonsense. But she wormed her way in. Then it was my turn to find a new friend for our group.

It was a bright day when I saw her. She was outside her house, picking flowers. Her red hair was shining in the sunlight, and she had on a small white dress. She looked up at me, and crossed over to our lawn, handing me a flower.

Kairi.

From that day on, when I got home from school and the others were busy, Kairi would come over and we'd play. It was the only time I'd go outside. Usually, we'd hang out in Marluxia's greenhouse out back- she loved flowers, and I loved the feel of being inside. I suppose it was the most bonding I ever did with Marluxia, being there with the two of them. Kairi had an obsession with the sea too. We took her with us to the beach once- I think Vexen and Marluxia were happy I had a playmate for most of the time. Vexen worried I'd get lonely.

When she came to school the next year, I introduced her to the others. Riku took to her instantly, showing her around the school yard with me, and keeping her safe from bullies. We were her big brothers, in a sense. Tidus would get jealous of her sometimes, telling Riku he liked her more then him. It was pretty funny, but Kairi was always mine.

Then one day, she just randomly appeared at the coloring table. I was the only one who saw her there- it was like she had been trying not to be seen. Or maybe it was that no one was meant to see her.

Naminé.

I realized later it was probably my gifts that allowed me to meet her. Everyone else in our group was normal, except me. I didn't have sleepovers, because I was scared kids would start calling me "Nightmare Boy" or something like that. But I walked over to her, feeling a stir of memories- a slight hint of distress, coupled with the feeling of home somehow. when I reached her, I said, shakily, " … hi. I'm Zexion."

"_I know." She replied, not looking up from her drawings._

"_You know?"_

"_Yes. You see," she looked up, "We've met before, Zexion. A long, long time ago. And I have a really good memory."_

_As I looked down at the pictures, I saw my memories on the table immortalized in her crayon drawings- meeting Riku at the juice line in kindergarten, Tidus joining our group, playing together, jump rope with Selphie, reading with Vexen, the greenhouse with Marluxia and Kairi, Kairi giving me the flowers the first time we met, Vexen getting me at the orphanage- and in every picture, there was a dark shadow right behind me. And in some, there was one behind Vexen, and Marluxia. I looked at the picture she was drawing now, scared. It was of us- her sitting at the table drawing, me standing next to her looking scared. There were shadows behind us. _

"_You haven't changed a bit." She whispered._

_I ran._

I still remember how scared Vexen had gotten. He'd refused to let me go to school for a few days. It was the first time he ever lied to Marluxia. He told him I was getting bullied, and that he was talking to the school to get it resolved. Marluxia shrugged it off.

Vexen and I got REALLY scared though when she found her way to the house. She claimed she saw it in my mind, so she just followed the memory. We decided that she was safe for the most part- as long as she told no one else. She could predict the future slightly, so Luxord would keep an eye on her at times. He said there was no harm in having her there. One day though, he got really mad at her and kicked her out of the house. I don't know what happened exactly- all I knew was that something bad had happened to Vexen. That he looked dazed for a few days, lost. Then he snapped back to himself. But sometimes, he'd look at Selphie and get confused, call her a different name he didn't seem to recognize much; Olette.

We grew to be a close group- Riku was more rowdy now though, so he'd play with Tidus and Selphie, and I'd play with Namine and Kairi. We'd play house and in the greenhouse, sometimes just drawing and reading together on days that it rained.

It all started to go downhill in eighth grade.

It was an accident. I honestly didn't mean to do anything bad to her. Kairi would sometimes sneak over and sleep in the same room as me on nights there were thunderstorms. I didn't mind much- I didn't like them either, and Kairi seemed to make the nights pass without nightmares. It was one of those nights when it happened. I was sleeping, and I felt a weight on my chest. I woke up to find her straddling me. I thought she'd gotten scared, so I asked her what was going on. She pinned me to the headboard and kissed me.

I didn't expect it- my mind went in a blur. Kairi had always been a little sister to me, and now for some reason, she was kissing me. I was scared, unsure of what to do, and suddenly, she crumpled. She started screaming, her eyes looking at nothing, frightened beyond belief. Vexen ran in, and pulled her away from me, isolating us, and eventually, she calmed down with a mix of Vexen's medicinal expertise, and Marluxia's herbal teas he grew. She never made another advance at me again. I was glad of that, but horrified at myself. I started thinking back on times when Vexen would wince when we'd bump into each other, how Marluxia wouldn't hold my hand to make sure I didn't get lost in crowds, but my shoulder usually, guiding me through. I was giving everyone illusions, nightmares-

I was a monster.

It took two weeks of Vexen trying to convince me to leave my bedroom before Marluxia knocked the door down and ordered me to dinner. I didn't eat much the first few nights, but Marluxia eventually convinced me, saying he'd tell Vexen about the playgirls under my bed.

I was still not convinced I was gay. I was simply… researching. Understanding their point of view.

Kairi never tried to hit on me again, but she asked me why I suddenly never took the gloves off I wore any more. I told her I had a disease that made my hands cold all the time, and Vexen said I had to wear them or lose my hands. Everyone shut up about them after that. Namine was called in at one point to make Kairi forget that night, maybe she erased Kairi's attraction to me as well.

One day, Kairi wouldn't show up to our group. We found her talking with another group of kids, hanging off of some brunette boy's arm. We all were disturbed, wondering what had just happened. I stared at the people she had just decided to leave us for- all their hair was insane, for one thing. The brunette's was spiked up in some crazy fashion, there was a red head who had hair going down his back in huge spikes, and two blondes, one with similar spiked hair and one with a mullet. I remember thinking that that one looked especially stupid, especially since I only saw him from behind.

I started losing everyone. Namine started hanging out with Larxene instead. Selphie moved. And the kicker was definitely when Riku and Tidus started going out. When I saw them kissing one day, I considered pulling them apart and screaming at them. I ran away instead. I was pretty good at running away. Ninth grade came and went, with me being isolated. Riku tried staying friends, but Tidus was a bit possessive. We'd hang out in groups of three, but that was it- no more being with Riku alone.

Then the car crash happened. It was a drunk driver- he ran over Tidus who was waiting for Riku at a café we all used to go to. I found out through Riku- he called me to tell me. He cried for a year. The worst part of being so completely in love with someone, connecting your life completely to theirs, was that when they are gone, there is nothing to distract you from the loss of that person. Though when someone dies, I suppose the loss is felt deeper then a simple break up. He couldn't look anywhere without being upset.

But one day, he was with that other group- the one Kairi had gone to. The brunette was hanging off of his arm, softly speaking to him with a caring smile. And for the first time in what seemed forever, I saw Riku smile. A genuine, sincere, happy smile.

I hated the brunette, who stole my sister and my best friend. I hated him more then anything else in the world. I learned his name, just so I could put a word to the new hate- Sora Hart. I bitterly thought to myself how his name meaning sky fit the bill- I hated him with the entirety of my "Hart", and enough to fill the sky with stars burning coldly with my hate. I isolated myself even more, hating Riku for falling into the same trap Kairi had. I would watch him from the shadows, feeling bitterness fill me as this Sora would make him laugh and smile and look alive once again. Kairi followed him around like a puppy dog. I locked her out of the house when she came to visit. The only solace was Vexen's science class and English. I felt at home around my father, and I could send all my frustration into my work.

This continued into tenth grade. I hated Sora, read books, and ignored the nightmares. They were getting more vivid, involving the group of people I saw. And for some reason, that one blonde kept appearing in them. The others would mock and cajole, trying to make me hate them more, but he would never speak. It was almost worse, having him never speak like that. I never even saw him from the front- anytime he faced me, it would be a black hole where his face should be. He frightened me more then any other. One night though, I didn't have a nightmare- instead, a soft voice just asked me a question in the darkness.

"Zexion, why are you always alone?"

It was accompanied by a set of teal eyes. I would fear those eyes, never knowing who they belonged to. The sounds of the ocean would envelop me with every dream, waking me eventually. I never understood it.

One day in school, I watched Riku, as usual. And as he and Sora were together, I saw him lean down, and gently kiss him. I was shocked beyond belief. I never expected Sora to steal him THAT much. I watched as they stared adoringly at each other- the way Riku used to look at Tidus. I realized that Sora had done what I couldn't, make Riku happy again somehow. It all crashed on me again, and I realized that a monster wouldn't have been able to save Riku anyway.

I ran. I hid behind the bleachers in the pool, hoping no one would see me. I stayed there for a while, before I heard footsteps. I moved as far back as I could, hoping they'd pass me by. Instead, they stopped. A dark figure crawled through the bleacher rows, walking closer to me. He sat close by, not next to me, but not far enough that I couldn't hear his breathing. I was frightened. He pulled down the hood of his hoodie.

_ "Zexion, why are you always alone?"_

I stared at him. It was that IDOIT. That freak with the weird hair- mullet, Mohawk, who the fuck knew? – and now he's just sitting here, asking me that? Why would I tell him anything about me! One of the freaks who stole all my friends from me! Who the hell does he think he is? God? My parents? A friend- screw you, kid, I don't WANT your friendship, I don't even know your fucking name.

"It's Demyx."

I jumped- and realized I had screamed that all at him. Every vile thought I was thinking had just been screamed at the highest volume I had- which is actually pretty loud, no one realizes it though- and I didn't even realize it.

"W-What?"

"My name. It's Demyx." He smiled, and looked at me.

I was mesmerized by his eyes- it was those eyes from my dream. Those kind, sad, loving eyes…

He chuckled. "Is this the part where you run away from me?"

I didn't.

And ever since then, I didn't- ok, not from Demyx anyway. I don't know what it was about him, but every time we were close….. it felt…. Right. Like something was healing in me. It took a long time for me to accept something was. We became friends gradually- with much resistance from me, admittedly- and then one day we kissed.

Actually, I kissed him.

Demyx stared at me in shock.

"W-What was that?"

"I…. I don't know…" I stood there, still holding his shirt where I had grabbed him to kiss him. I was in shock. Why did I do that? I was straight, wasn't I?

Wasn't I?

"…. Zexion…. You just… k-kissed me."

I swallowed, beginning to shake. My palms felt sweaty.

"I- I know…."

"….. why…"

I looked up into his eyes… and suddenly, the definitions didn't matter anymore- gay, straight, bi-sexual, those were terms put on what type of body you lusted after, wasn't it.

And this wasn't lust.

This was Demyx.

"…. Because… I like you"

We were together by the end of that day. Rumors flew, glances were thrown, and zero fucks were given from me that day because I was FLYING.

Soon after that, everything melded together- Demyx and I telling about our gifts, becoming friends with the others, Riku and I bonding again- and of course, all the horrors and fun times that happened sophomore year…

And now, look what's happened to us all. I sighed again. How did we come this far to fall so short of the lives we wanted?

Demyx turned back to me. I smiled at him. At least I still had him. At least we were still together.

I was so wrapped up in his eyes; I didn't know Riku had woken up until he started choking me against the wall.

I heard screaming as Demyx rushed to us. Riku stood, taking me with him, holding me against the wall. I looked down, trying to get a hold to make him release me. I saw his eyes- eyes that were empty.

"Y-you're n-not Rik-ku," I choked out against his hand. His eyes grew colder, like Vexen's ice. That reminded me. I couldn't lose here, I had to find Vexen still- I had to find him!

His grip tightened. The world went black.

Marluxia POV

I was lost- it was official. I was more lost then a guy trying to buy his lady perfume on Valentines Day.

Don't ask how I know that. Vexen will make me deny everything.

Speaking of Vexen, I hadn't FOUND him yet. And it was worrying me worse then the time Xion set part of the house on fire. Or was that Vexen also? Honestly, I think EVERYONE in our family set the house on fire at least once. Unless you were Vexen or Larxene. Then you acted like it was your sole mission on earth to set fires and cause explosions in our house. Especially on Saturdays.

I sighed, feeling useless. I was about to give up when I heard the scream.

I ran around the corner, and there was Vexen. And there was Xemnas. And there was Xemnas stealing Vexen. … in a graveyard.

…. Why is Vexen in a graveyard….

Vexen tried struggling, but Xemnas suddenly smacked him into the side of the truck. I saw a hint of blood on the metal of the truck where the impact site was. Vexen lay in the snow, unmoving. Xemnas smirked, and reached down to pick him up.

I tackled him. I can't remember most of what happened after that- the blood was rushing in my ears, pounding in my head.

I do know that I remember afterwards picking Vexen up from where Xemnas left him lying and carrying him slowly. I was limping. There was a lot of blood on the ground, but most of it wasn't mine. He got away, I knew that much- got in the truck and fled.

I began to shiver. The hail was subsiding now that Vexen could sense he was with someone safe. I smiled at the thought of him thinking I was a safe person to him. I wanted to be that again with him.

As I walked home, I looked to the sky for the moons light. But it was eclipsed by clouds, and we were swallowed up in something all too familiar- darkness.


End file.
